Werewolves together
by Sarkori
Summary: We are one in the same we will be together
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

His fist slammed against the tree. It wasn't a big tree, slender and only a few feet taller that Jacob. But it still surprised me when the trunk gave way and snapped off loudly under his blows.

Jacob stared at the sharp, broken point with shock that quickly turned to horror.

"I have to get back." He whirled and began to stalk away swiftly. I was furious. There wasn't room for anything else but the anger that suddenly filled me. I would have begun to yell at him again, but I was stopped.

Something rolled in me, knocking the breath out of me and forcing me to the ground. I gasped once trying to breathe as tremors rhythmically ran up and down my spine. Terrified and breathless, I screamed out in horror.

Jacob whirled around and stared at me with wide eyes. I could do nothing but lay there on the ground shaking, screaming waiting for the horrible shuddering to stop. Spasm after spasm ran trough my body shaking me, tearing me up. Fighting over me, trying to rip me to pieces. I screamed again.

Another tremor rocked through me roughly, I threw my head back and growls tore from my teeth.

"Bella!" Jacob shouted, alarmed by my vicious snarl. He didn't move, he seemed to be rooted to the spot he was standing, but if he were moving he be stepping back in fear.

I cringed against the cold forest floor vibrating violently, there was a loud ripping noise, then I exploded.

White fur blew out of me, burning me up and making me huge. My muzzle wrinkled up over my teeth and more growls came from the back of my throat.

The shreds of my clothes rained down on us and I crouched down ready to spring on Jacob who was franticly trying to summon Sam. That made me even more infuriated. The anger was over taking me and I was giving in, letting it over power me until I had no control.

I slowly lifted my head to look at Jacob with menacing eyes, but he had disappeared. In his place were two of the giant wolves I had seen in Edward's meadow, the two that had saved me from Laurent, the giant black one and the russet brown one, the one that had reminded me of Jacob.

I heard voices in my head, at first I expected Edward, but these were different. I could hear Jacob and Sam.

_Bella, _Sam's voice called, _Bella, calm down, _he tried to soothe me, _Bella, its Sam._

_And Jacob_. Jacob's voice added

I shook my giant, shaggy, white head in defiance. I didn't want to hear them, either of them ever again. I could see through both of their eyes so clearly. I could see me. A big scary monster, I looked like I had come out of a horror movie. I was a _wolf, _a gigantic, white wolf. I had snowy white fur and sharp pointed teeth. I had long sturdy legs and huge white feet with dark black claws. What in the world was happening?

_This has to be a dream._ I thought

_This is real, _Sam's voice whispered in my head. _I'll explain it all later but you need to calm down so that you can phase back to a human._

My shoulders shook; I was too far-gone to calm down, but something told me, no, _made _me listen to Sam. I tried to get back under control.

_That's right Bella, honey, just let yourself relax, _Jacob's voice soothed. My back shook, a little more intensely, and I whined loudly.

_Bella, _Jacob's easing voice came again, _Bella, everything's going to be all right. Everything will be ok. _As horror-struck as I was, I was also relaxed; Jacob's soothing was helping me.

Warmth pressed down on my heart, pleasantly warm my face was filling up with heat. Hotter. Hotter, uncomfortably now. Hotter, the pain filled me making my legs bend under the heat, and slowly I could feel myself shrinking back to my normal size, and I was Bella. Just me. I was on the cold forest floor, shaking gently. This wasn't the same shaking as before, this was fear. I looked up for the two wolves again- but both of them were gone.

A few moments of silence passed. I waited there on the ground, cold and shaking madly. I looked to the trees again and instead of a wolf I saw Jacob running through the forest to me with a pair of clothes in his hands.

He tossed the mass of huge gray cotton at me and I shoved myself into the gigantic pair of sweats and t-shirt. Then he crouched up on the ground next to me and I lifted my head to look at him. Sam was suddenly beside him. Both of them gazed wearily at me.

"Bella," Jacob began slowly, his eyes deep, burning into mine, his eyebrows pulled up making a crease in his forehead with tense exasperation "What do you know about…" he stopped it looked as if he were choking on something.

"About werewolves." Sam finished for him saying the words quickly, as if he were trying to get them over with.

I felt my jaw drop and my head fell back into the damp leaves on the ground. Everything was black and I slipped off the edge of consciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ok- because you all liked chapter one so much I decided to type chapter two! Here it is. I hope you like it and remember to review.

I could hear voices coming from all around me. I was curled up on Billy's couch shivering.

"Was that it?" Billy asked quietly and astonished.

"I asked her what she knew about werewolves, then she feinted." Jacob finished the story in a muted whisper.

"How long has she been unconscious?" Billy asked, uncertain

"Only a couple minutes." Sam replied in his dead, emotionless voice. I could feel everyone's eyes on me.

"Jake?" I croaked, blinking open my eyes.

"Oh, Bella!" he gasped, "Are you ok?"

"Why in the world would I be ok, Jacob?" the words came out a little more acidic than I had meant and my hands lightly shook.

"Bella, calm down." Sam said gently. "You need to stay calm."

I shook my head trying to clear it; I lifted my hands and rubbed my temples trying to concentrate, squeezing my eyes shut.

"What was all that?" I tried to ask even voiced, my shoulders shaking anyway.

"I'm not sure." Sam finally whispered after a long moment

"This doesn't make any sense!" Jacob said, raising his voice. "This shouldn't still be happening! And why _you _of all people!" Jacob shuddered, not stopping to calm himself down like he normally would have. "You who has no Quileute relation at all! But of course, here you are!" He shook violently again as he motioned limply to the couch where I was laying, astonished.

"Jacob, easy." Sam demanded. "That won't help anything."

Eyes wide, mouth hanging open, I was finally was able to choke out the words, "Will somebody please tell me what's going on?" Anger made my spine shudder.

"If what I just saw is correct…" Sam whispered unable to finish his sentence.

Billy continued for him, whispering, "You just morphed into a werewolf."

My eyes popped out and I was halfway to feinting once more, only Jacob, who cupped his big hand under my chin and said, "It's all going to be ok," kept me from loosing myself again.

I carefully laid my head back on the couch and closed my eyes.

What kind of a place _was_ this? I remember when I realized that Vampires were real… now werewolves? What? Is one of my friends going to turn out to be a mermaid? This is just impossible!

I clutched my head in my hands, trying to keep from exploding again.

A small, dry voice in the back of my head asked me what the big deal was. Hadn't I already accepted the existence of vampires long ago- and without all the hysterics that time?

_But this is worse._ I yelled back at the voice. _I_ was the monster.

The voice fought back, _it's not like you didn't once dream about becoming a mythical creature, about _wanting _to be a mythical creature! _It pointed out.

The pain of the memory lashed around the broken edges of my wound. I tried to forget that last thing the voice had said as I instinctively clutched my stomach.

But I had nothing left to fight about after that. It was true; I had once wanted to be a monster, but a _werewolf_? Wasn't _one_ monster-come-true enough for a lifetime?

It was then I realized that I was shaking again. Everything was silent. Billy, Jacob and Sam were giving me time to think, to let me fight with myself until the reality of what just happened took over me, and I accepted the truth.

The truth that Sam and his 'gang' were _werewolves_, that I was a _werewolf,_ that _Jacob_ was a _werewolf_.

I wasn't prepared for the rush of anger that followed that. I wanted to yell. I didn't care that I was a werewolf. I'd live with it! But why _Jacob? _Jacob, who was nothing but good, Jacob who was my friend! Why did _he _have to share this horrible fate?

Suddenly I couldn't take it. I couldn't fight the anger anymore. I stormed out of the house trying to get as far away from everyone as I could. I thought of Edward at that moment, something he had said before, and something that had nothing to do with this, but something that fit perfectly into this situation.

"_If you were anywhere near me when I lost control that way…_" He had said. I didn't want Jacob to be within a hundred miles of me if I ever exploded like that again. If he ever got hurt and it was my fault I would never be able to forgive myself.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I broke into a run, feeling that it wouldn't be much longer until I did lose control. My back was shaking so hard I could barley hold myself up. I ran faster. I ran until I couldn't see the house anymore and then I gave in.

I threw my head back, howling too loudly. I tried to run farther but the mad tremors that were rolling through my body, head to toe, knocked me to the ground. My head snapped back, half way to the ground, and I howled again.

I shuddered one more before I burst out of Jacob's clothes.

White fur exploded out of me again, and just like last time, I heard the voices in my head.

Jacobs voice was not far off from thinking what I had just a moment before.

_I am a werewolf, and I'm fine with that, _he yelled. _But why Bella, what did Bella ever do to deserve this?!_

I saw through the wolves' eyes and realized that the brown one wasn't far away from me at all, the bigger black one had just then joined us, and had clothes tied to one of it's back legs.

Sam's voice commanded, _Bella, calm down, you need to phase back. Direct Quileute descendant or not, you need to know the rules. You're one of us now._

I was one of them now. The words ripped through my head, making me angrier, not calming me down.

A thundering roar escaped from between my teeth. I knew that would tell them exactly where I was, so I ran. I ran for it. But I wasn't running- I was flying.

The trees blurred into a sea of black flowing around me. I felt nothing but speed. The sensation was amazing. I would have been marveling if it wasn't for the fact that two werewolves were tearing after me, and catching up fast.

I looked to my side and to my surprise the brown wolf, Jacob's wolf, was right next to me, running even faster than I was. I stopped dead in my tracks and let him run past me, invisible with speed.

Jacobs's thoughts were still calm, trying to lure me over to him, I assumed,_ everything is going to be fine calm down and phase back to human. It's pretty tricky at first but don't worry, I'll help you._

My anger and fear evaporated at the sound of his voice, I took the bait, laid down and put my head on my paws, waiting for him to come back.

_Thank you, _Sam's voice said gently to both of us. I could see where he was through my eyes. The black wolf was very close by. And slowly, some of the other sights I could see evaporated as the brown wolf disappeared.

After a short moment, all the extra sight dissolved as the black wolf left me too, left me all alone with no direction. In an instant I was hyperventilating, I curled up into a tight ball and my breaths came short and uneven.

Jacob and Sam walked simultaneously out from the cover of the trees and into my sight. When Jacob saw my unnatural position, he walked understandingly and swiftly up to me and looked at me with scorching eyes, sympathetic eyes.

"Bella, I'm here," was all Jacob said, and then he sat down on the ground next to me and stroked the white fur on my neck while he tossed the clothes that Sam had been carrying over the other side of me.

The warmth of his touch instantly soothed me and my whole system was calmed. I morphed back into a human so quickly that if I had blinked, I would have missed the whole transformation. I felt Jacob stiffen next to me.

I heaved on the humungous clothes that were lying beside me and stood up, randomly exhausted. I fought my lids to keep them open.

"You look awful, Bella." Jacob noted. When I flinched, Jacob quickly rephrased. "What I meant was that you should come back to Billy's and sleep, and please try not to loose it again." He said quietly, his eyes immediately turned joking as he said, "I'm not sure Sam and I will be able to scrounge up anymore clothes for you."

I grimaced at him and began to head back. While trudging back to the tiny house, which I had blown miles behind me, I tripped and Jacob caught me as the grass swirled up in my face. With one hand he swung me up into his arms, cradling me like a baby.

I must have fallen asleep in his arms because when I woke up I was on Billy's couch. I blinked open my eyes and only feet away from me, I saw Charlie.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Charlie was looking at me anxiously, his eyes wondering, and concerned; yet amazed, I even noticed flecks of fear dancing on his face. My brain's delayed reaction to his presence startled even myself. Once I finally acknowledged his company, got past the wondering why either of us was at Billy's house, I jumped and squawked Charlie's name.

Did he know what had happened? How much did he know? Did he know about Edward? Did Billy even talk to him yet? How long had I been asleep? The questions flooded me in my mind, all vitally important and I needed answers fast.

What could I say to him that wouldn't give me away? Charlie opened his mouth to talk but I couldn't let him speak. How could I reply to anything he said? I had already lied to him enough.

I bounded into Jake's room as quickly as I could, not even giving Charlie a second to breathe. Just as I had hoped, Jake was on his bed, strewn across it like a blanket, but he wasn't asleep, he was too tense to be asleep. The unsteady rise and fall of his heaving chest gave him away.

I shut the door of his room quickly and quietly and sat down on the bed that made up most of his closet-sized room.

"Jake?" I asked softly, shaking his shoulder.

"What, Bella?" he mumbled angrily into his sheets. My eyebrows pulled together, I couldn't understand why he was so upset, and then I shook my head. Whatever it was didn't matter right now, what I needed to know was more important.

"How much does Charlie know?" I whispered into his ear. Jacob slowly sat up and looked deep into my eyes with a mixture of fury and sorrow wiped across his face. I closed my eyes to break his sad gaze and listened to his voice, hoping it would soothe me- but knowing that it wouldn't.

"Charlie knows everything, Bella. You've been out for a while and Billy took the chance to explain it to him while I was out talking to the rest of the guys." That didn't answer the question I was most concerned about. I needed to know if Charlie knew about the Cullens.

"Does he know about…vampires?" I murmured after a long moment of awkward silence. Jacob put his head down; his new short hair couldn't hide his eyes from me. His eyes were hurt. I knew how that question must have upset him, even after everything that had happened, but I wasn't going to let him hide the answer from me.

Jacob looked me in the eyes again, but this time I couldn't break the stare. I stared back at him for a long time wondering why I couldn't look away from his dark eyes. With a burst of intuition I realized that I didn't _want _break the stare. I could have stayed there forever and been content with whatever answer I got from him. In an instant, it didn't matter if Charlie knew that my former boyfriend was a vampire or not. In the instant it took for my head to catch up to my heart, I knew that I wanted Jacob. Badly. Right now.

"Yes." Jacob replied, interrupting my sudden realization. Charlie knew that Edward was a vampire. So what, I didn't care anymore.

The weirdest feeling spread through me slowly until every part of my body was underwater in a pool of something unfamiliar. That one look from Jacob had triggered something in me and when I looked back at him, I didn't see the Jacob I knew before. I saw a new Jacob, a Jacob who was all I had ever wanted.

I felt queasy and tilted my head back, breathing in and out slowly and deeply. How could I have wasted all this time, knowing Jacob, but never knowing _this _Jacob? Perfect Jacob. How could I waste so much time with him, every moment I was still holding on to Edward, why couldn't I just know what I knew now?

I felt like throwing up.

"Bella, are you ok?" Jacob said worriedly. "Are you alright?" When I heard his voice I felt like I was being choked. It was the most beautiful voice I had ever heard. Better than anything else with no exceptions. Not even Edward could top this kind of perfection.

And his _face. _I almost gasped out loud at the plain magnificence of his face. What did he do to himself? Jacob didn't look any different, but he had changed dramatically.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Jacob gasped, horrified by what he saw on my face. I must look, as bad as I felt, but even though I was feeling like I was going to be sick, it also felt good that he was concerned about me. More than good, it felt wonderful; I could feel the delight flowing through me. But I had to answer him if I wanted to assure him that nothing was wrong, and there was only one thing I could come up with in the seconds I had to reply. I took a deep breath, looked deep into his beautiful eyes and whispered with all the passion I had stored for months.

"I think I'm in love with you, Jake."

I waited anxiously for his facial expression, and when it came, I was confused. Jacob looked at me with uncontainable smugness, and in the same look I saw calm understanding. I didn't know if he was going to say something or not so I waited patiently, not breaking my stare with him.

"Bella," He said, finally, "I'm in love with you too." His voice was drenched with love and passion that was unbearable. He took his hands and put them on either side of my face, looked deeply into my eyes, and kissed me.

The feel of his warm lips on mine was so amazing, his mouth molded into mine in an unfamiliar way that they never had before. I wrapped both of my arms around his neck and kissed him back. The only thing I could feel, the only thing that I could think was that I loved him. I loved him so much.

We both pulled away at the same time, breathing deeply. I felt dizzy from the kiss but the didn't stop me from pulling him into a huge hug as tears dropped onto his white shirt. I was crying, sobbing and I didn't know why. There was only one sentence I could cough up between the sobs.

"I love you, Jacob." I whispered to him as he patted my back, trying to calm my tears. "I love you too, Bella." He said so sweetly I knew it had to be true.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Three Months later

I curled up on my bed and closed my eyes. The sleep that was about to bury me felt so good already. This was the first time I was going to get a good night's sleep in weeks. I had been kept up late every night patrolling the Quileute borders because Jacob was out and had to stay in bed with a case of the stomach flu.

Every night I worried about him, hoping that he would recover soon, being the only girl in the whole pack was beginning to get unbearable without Jacob there to keep me company. Phasing back and forth was indescribably awkward.

I could feel the sleep washing up close to me, slowly pulling me under. I was almost all the way underwater when a noise brought me back.

It was very quiet, but my sensitive ears could pick it up over the soft rain pattering on the roof.

I sat up from my bed and looked around, sniffing, what I smelled nearly knocked all my control away. My breath whooshed out and my eyes opened wide. The hair on my arms stood up straight and I sniffed again. The scent was sweet, too sweet, sickly sweet and icy. It burned my nose.

I didn't recognize the smell, but I had been told about it. This scent only matched the description of one thing.

Vampire.

My arms began to shake uncontrollably as I looked around for the creature. My eyes followed the smell and led me to the window. In the window I saw a face. A face I knew all to well. An unearthly face that looked too beautiful. A face only Jacob could surpass.

His wonderful bronze hair and golden eyes brought back so many memories. I smiled at the thought. I had to make a decision though. I knew what I chose to do would upset Sam, but I did it anyway.

I got up from my bed and walked to the window. I threw open the glass and looked him straight in the eyes. I said the one thing I could think to say at the time.

"Come in, Edward."

He gracefully crawled through the window with immensely weary eyes. I stared straight into them with no hesitation.

_It will only be a matter of time_, I thought. Not a moment after that had crossed my mind, Edward inhaled.

His eyes immediately became afraid and confused as he crinkled up his nose, I made sure to keep my expression blank. He looked about to ask the question that I wanted him to know the answer to, but he never said a word.

I couldn't afford to let any emotion slide into my voice. With all my concentration, I asked, "Is there something you would like to know?"

Edward bent forward and took another deep breath, his nose at my shoulder. The only thing I heard him murmur was, "You've _got _to be kidding me."

That wouldn't be enough to convince me he knew my secret, so I pressed him on. Making sure I had no emotion in my face or voice whatsoever, I asked "Kidding about what?"

He shifted his weight to one side, then the other. His discomfort made his voice unsteady when he said, "You smell…like a…" he stopped looking at me anxiously. I narrowed my eyes.

"Say it." I persisted, acidic.

Edward closed his eyes, "werewolf." He breathed, his eyes pleading, and full of sorrow.

I nodded once. "Why are you here?" It took so long for me to say that one sentence. I didn't say it with any kindness or sweetness whatsoever I was furious with this boy for breaking my heart so seriously- not that any of that mattered now. What's done was done and I'm glad it was. I struggled to keep my voice a dead monotone.

He looked away from me. "I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't stay away from you. I lied to you, Bella, and I'm really sorry. When I told you that you wouldn't see me again because I didn't want you," I could smell bile rising in his throat but he forced it down, "I was lying Bella I was lying a terrible rotten lie! I wanted you to be able to live a happy life with out the constant dangers of loving a vampire threaten you.

"Eventually I couldn't live for one more second without seeing you so I decided to just come back to check on you and when I did you seemed so… miserable. Even after so long. I watched you, thinking you were asleep but you caught my scent almost instantly. How long have you been a…wolf?" He whispered.

"Three months." I wasn't going to let him get any farther in questions than that. He needed to know the whole truth- not just some of it. "Edward." I said talking clearly.

"Yes?" He replied looking into my eyes. They were so sad, like a hungry puppy's they forced pity upon me- I lost my concentration for one second falling under his spell. I actually needed to thrust Jacob into my thoughts to be able to talk clearly to him.

Edward looked at me his face was so beautiful and his eyes were happy as he tried to imagine what I would say. From his facial expression he was probably expecting an oral battle- but from his golden eyes he was expecting me to take him back with open arms. I forced myself to think of Jacob once more.

"You're too late." I said mercilessly, Jacob's love flooding my mind, "Let's just get one thing straight and get it straight now- I do _not_ love you. If you do not leave my house and this area right now I will phase and call all of the boys out on you. You're a vampire and I'm a werewolf and this is MY house meaning this is MY territory. Currently you are on MY territory so get out now or I will remove you by force."

"B-b-but-" Edward stuttered, "NOW!" I shot at his pushing him towards the window. He began to climb out but before disappearing he looked at me and mumbled one thing. "Goodbye.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I stared to the window where his face had disappeared for hours. I was beginning to wonder if I was too harsh on him. The flaming image of that last despairing looked was branded into my mind. It haunted me all night.

I was never able to get back to sleep in fear that Edward would slither into my dreams. At one point I looked at the clock and read the green glowing numbers to myself.

"4:34 a.m." I shook my head in spite of myself, I really needed my sleep but the suns dry rays were already peering through my curtains. I shut my eyes but the sleep didn't come and wash over me like I felt it should.

Eventually I just gave up on the whole sleep idea and crawled out of bed. I looked down at myself- I was still had on the jeans and tank top I wore yesterday. I sighed to myself, but it seemed more like a yawn.

My eyes drooped as I slowly crawled out of the window and slid down the paneling of my house with overt grace. After slugging to the cover of trees I stripped myself and laid my clothes in a pile next to me. I concentrated hard on that one corner of my heart that wasn't consumed by Jacob and pressed it mentally. Nothing happened.

My thin eyebrows pulled together as I pressed harder taking long deep breaths. I still couldn't morph. I pushed on my heart as hard as I could, my teeth clenching and unclenching. I shook my head in wonder and pulled myself back into my clothes.

I knew that the deafening roar of my read pick up truck would wake Charlie but I needed to see Jacob, and possibly Sam, about Edward's appearance as well as my morphing problem. I turned the keys in the ignition and the car grumbled to life. I pulled away from the house.

My mind was blank as I crossed roads and intersections, not a single car was on the road except for mine. I was two blocks away from Jake's house when my car began to stutter. I pushed it a few feet forward then it rumbled to a stop. I cursed the old car under my breath and switched it into neutral.

From behind the truck I pushed it slowly to the curb of the nearest street and left it there. Pushing the car was no problem for my muscles and me. I thought about what would have happened if I weren't a werewolf- what would have happened with Edward last night. He still would have come of course.

Hands in pockets I trudged to Jacob's house my eyes still half closed. When I was at the front door, my hand inches away from the knocker, sudden excitement filling me to the very top hoping that Jacob was better. A huge smile broke my face as I drew my hand away from the door recalling the hour.

I crunched through dry leaves over to Jacob's window hoping not to wake Billy. I peered into the dark room and saw Jake's shadowy form. I smiled unintentionally. I looked harder hoping to make out his eyes, my favorite physical feature of his. Then I saw a second figure very close to Jacob.

Under stress my eyes adjusted to the dark surprisingly quick. Jacob looked healthy. Very healthy. Too healthy to have been sick yesterday. I looked to the figure once more it crawled to Jacob and moved its mouth to his kissing him passionately. Rage filled me so quickly it almost hurt. I looked even harder and saw Jacob smile and return the kiss even more fervently, seductively climbing on top of her.

I looked away quickly and ran not even knowing where I was going. Boiling tears welled over in my eyes and I screamed out sobbing uncontrollably. It felt as if my heart had been ripped out of my chest and struck with a spear over and over. Then the torn up remains were scattered on the floor like bitter ashes.

I burst out of my clothes and my white fur consumed me. I shared minds with two others Sam and Seth joined me. Tears still streamed from my wolf eyes as I ran faster and faster away from Jacob's house.

_Bella! _Sam called out mentally, sensing my serious pain and distress. _What happened! _He yelled in my mind.

I was going to lie to them but I knew it was impossible. We shared minds. I couldn't help it but I thought about what I saw again. When they saw it in my mind both Sam ad Seth were speechless.

_Bella, I'm coming for you. _Seth stated quietly, then all his thoughts evaporated.

I didn't move. I couldn't. If Sam was thinking anything for me I wasn't hearing it. I couldn't hear it if I wanted to. When I realized that I had stopped running I thought about Jacob again out of habit. That simple thought caused me to collapse on the ground with the wind knocked out of me, I was still conscious however.

I stared at one small dandelion in front of me until I could hear footsteps. "Bella, I'm so sorry." He whispered. "I don't know what to say. I know how a broken heart feels with regular love but I have no idea what you're going through. I've never even imprinted- much less lost that kind of love."

I leaped at Seth in rage. He wasn't helping. I didn't mean to hurt him- just to scare him away. Seth didn't even try to protect himself and I could feel my claws dig into his flesh. I jumped away from him quickly. His eyes were still brave but they were weary. I backed away from him unable to look away at the gouge marks my claws carved onto his tan arms.

I then heard a voice in my head. A perfect voice. A voice that jolted me as if an electrical blade had been stabbed to my heart. I gasped and fell over, barely conscious. Seth looked afraid now.

_Bella, please! _Jacob begged. _Let me explain! _I heard Jacob's mental wince when he felt my pain. I didn't think anything back to him. The only thing I could comprehend was serious physical pain- I didn't expect that at all.

_Bella, I- _that's all I was able to hear from Jacob before I lost consciousness from the pain of my heart. Right before I left him and Sam I was able to think one thing.

_Can one die of a broken heart?_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

My breathing came short. Flames flickered and cast eerie shadows over the ground. It was silent except for the crackling and popping of flames, horribly similar to the sound of bones breaking. The sharp tang of copper was in the air, smothering the smell of smoke. It coiled through my nostrils and around throat choking me, causing me to cough hindered my escape.

My feet scrabbled over the ground, slipping in crimson puddles trying to run. Chilling laughter shattered the near silence. One streak of color crossed my vision. I didn't know where it was- where it would attack me next.

The twisted game of cat and mouse began again. The mouse scurried off, splashing through red pools with the cat laughing and following leisurely, toying with its prey.

I began to run again, always running, never knowing where it was, never able to see what part of me was going next until it was struck. The insane cackling crept up on me again. I bolted to the shadows, hoping the darkness would bring safety and ward off the fear and horror and _pain_.

My white pelt was stained scarlet as I bared my teeth at the enemy. No matter who I called out to, no matter how loud, no one ever came to save me. I was at the brink of death; my fate crept closer with ever passing second. No one could save me now.

_Where is the pack! _I thought furiously. _I can't fight this battle alone! _Then it was behind me. I turned slowly to look straight into blood red eyes. Her hair the color of flames her skin as pale and as cold as snow- yet at hard as a rock.

Victoria.

One hand was behind her back, a malicious smile cracked on her face. "Where is your boyfriend?" she spat in my face. "When will he be here to save the day?" She sneered. I took a wild strike towards her, exhaustion flooded my system. I couldn't fight now. Not while I was already wounded beyond repair.

**Flashback

"Do you want me to walk you home?" Seth asked, pity clear on his face after I woke about an hour later. I growled giving him a step forward. He backed up both his hands in the air. "Sorry…" he whispered.

I leaped into the woods, as far away from civilization as possible. Jake's voice still pounded in my head trying to convince me that it wasn't his fault. I ignored him as best as I could but it's not easy to ignore a voice in your head. After hours of trying to convince me he finally gave up and left me. Now I was all alone- just the way I wanted it. I was so far away from the pack that I couldn't smell any of their markings anywhere near me.

I must have been somewhere that the pack hadn't explored. I let my heart go and overwhelming pain took me again. I cried out for no one in particular hoping that this never-ending agony would stop.

Suddenly I jumped back hearing a crash. I spun in circles looking for where the noise came from. A huge tree tumbled over towards me after it had hit the ground a figure leaped onto the roots that were now protruding out of the ground. I recognized her instantly. She sauntered over to me gracefully and looked dead into my brown eyes.

"Hello, Isabella."

**End flashback

Victoria revealed the item she held behind her back- but not to my eyes, to my body. Whatever it was it sent a coursing electrical shock through my body. It didn't hurt at all…until she removed it. The electricity bounced back through my body to my brain causing me to howl in pain.

"Do you like that?" She asked venomously, "What did that howl mean? Do you want me to turn it higher?" She inquired like a sweet child. I whimpered and backed away from her. She pondered for a moment.

"I'll take that as a yes!" She giggled, spinning a knob on the device she held. I tried to run once more but she was in front of me in an instant, the device crackling in her hand. She touched it lightly to my shoulder and I felt it flow to my toes and back to my brain. I screamed in pain unable to move. Victoria spun the knob again and touched it to me lightly. There was a streak of russet in front of me and Victoria was gone.

I waited impatiently for the shock to reach my brain; my howl of pain caused a cloud of birds to leave the surrounding trees. Hands touched a large gash on my left side. I snapped at them and my eyes rolled to the back of my head.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I blinked open my bleary eyes and looked all around me. I was on the couch in Jacob's house- I winced at the plain thought of his name. I couldn't take it any longer. I sobbed silently into a pillow propping up my back. My heart had cracked in two. That's what it felt like. It was like someone had gotten hold of my heart and used it. When they were done they just ripped it up and threw it away like an empty wrapper. The footsteps of a large male could be heard from another room.

"Bella?" a beautiful voice said. It was way to beautiful, I began to choke in recognition "Are you really awake?" I buried my face into the lumpy pillow, tears still streaming from my swollen eyes. Pitifully, I looked down at the stained sofa and spoke his name as clearly as my thick voice would allow.

"Jacob."

"Bella?" He asked hopefully. What did he expect was going to happen? After realizing how valuable the old torn wrapper was he dug all the pieces out of the trash and taped them back together? What would the wrapper do? Just wait for him to lick off the rest of the chocolate and throw it back away again? I wouldn't let him get to me again.

I didn't realize that I was surrendering myself until I did it.

I sat up and looked at his face. His tan cheeks were a deep red with dried tears crusted to the tops, his eyes glimmered with both wetness and hope, his lips, slightly parted were tugged up slightly into a barely recognizable smile. His thick eyebrows were lowered in defeat.

That was exactly how I imagined my face to look.

"Will you please listen to my side of the story?" he asked as sweetly as he could, his voice was like the purr of a cat. The sound tortured me. I spat up the words lodged in my throat.

"No." I said as flatly as possible, "You need to tell me what happened to me before what happened to you." These were the hardest words that I had ever had to say. I had never put myself before Jacob before. It was a painful thing to do.

Jacob kept his cool quite well. He looked unsurprised. "What do you want to know first?" he asked in that same kitten tone- it was killing me inside, I struggled not to let it show on my face.

"How long has it been?" I tried to keep my voice a monotone.

"Six days." He answered immediately. "I thought I'd lost you, Bella."

My brain only processed the first part of the sentence. Wow. It had been that long? It felt like six hours not six days.

"What was the damage?" I asked as if he had not even said the second part of the sentence because honestly, I didn't hear it. I wasn't sure if I didn't hear it or my brain was preventing me from hearing it to thwart further heart pain.

The second one seemed more logical to me.

"To who?" Jake asked, flecks of hurt dancing on his face.

"Me." If felt as if I were being too harsh. It was the only way to keep him out of my heart but it seemed to be doing more harm than good.

"You began to heal too fast and we didn't have a doctor who was able to work on you without noticing your temperature. It was difficult but we got some of the elders and they were able to help you enough for you to live. On the fourth day you medically died twice. It's a miracle that you're still alive. You had one particularly nasty gash on your side. It's all healed up now, but when it also healed too fast at first, and with an infection inside of it. We had to cut open the skin in order to get the infection that was sealed inside your body out. You're very lucky."

I nodded a few times and finally put myself out enough to ask, "And you?"

"Not a scratch on me. The vamp got away though. Don't worry; all the boys are on double patrols. We know that she isn't going to let you slip through her fingers like that."

"When can I start up on patrols again?" I asked hesitantly. Jacob's eyes widened.

"Not anytime soon! Bella! That's what she wants you to do! She wants something to happen to us so she can get to you!" He took my shoulders and shook me. "You aren't going to leave! You can't just go out looking for someone who wants to kill you!"

I answered back in the same loud tone "What do you want me to do, Jacob! Do you just expect me to sit on the sidelines watching you put yourselves in fetal situations! I won't! I can't! Not when I could be out there fighting with you! I will never leave you, Jacob!" I didn't realize what I had said until I had said it. Jacob looked at me. I couldn't describe the expression on his face but he looked at me with the most intense pity. It was like I was a dying puppy dog.

Jacob opened him mouth to say something, then closed it again.

"Jacob. What happened the other night- with you and that girl… I know. I saw. I don't know who she was but whoever she is lucky to have a guy like you. Even when times like this get hard I know how to do the right thing no matter how difficult it is."

I spoke slowly and carefully, my eyes dripping wet. "I do love you, Jacob. Whether I want to or not. You made a promise to me. You said you would never hurt me. That kind of a promise cannot withstand what happened between us. You tried as hard as you could to protect me and I only made it harder for you. I pushed the boundaries first with me turning into one of you and then by imprinting on you.

"I should have known not to be as stupid as to think that my love would last. I knew that you would find someone you _really_ loved and that I would be without you… eventually. I just never knew that that day would come so soon.

"You don't need to come back to me or feel bad for me. You don't need to apologize or tell me that you love me when you don't. I know that if I really love you than I should let you go." My eyes shimmered with tears, a single droplet rolled off my cheek and onto my knee.

It was silent in the room. Jacob looked torn. In pain. Suddenly I could see the resolve form in his eyes. "Bella." He said, barely a whisper. "I wish you could understand. But you will never understand!" He shook his head angrily and lifted his eyes to mine. They were drowned in exasperation and fury. I flinched back at the raw rage that I could feel flowing off of him. "You will _never_ know what I have been through! You will never know everything that I have been through for you! And what do you want me to do? Just melt in your hand? I will _never _love you! I love _her_!" he roared.

The tears flowed freely from my pleading eyes. "Jake…"

"Bella! _Just shut up!_ I hate you! I've never loved you! I'd kick you out of here if I were allowed to! Don't talk to me! Don't _look_ at me! I just wish you would die!"

My eyes widened and I began to cry hysterically. "Jacob!" I moaned.

"Don't get your tears on me!" He bellowed. "Don't touch me!" He stormed out of the room leaving all of his seething anger behind him for me. What did I do wrong? When did it become my fault? Why! The tears never receded. I could hear Billy roll his wheelchair in the room a few times just to see if I was ok. Was I making that much noise?

I didn't sleep that night, or the night after. The tears just never ended. The pain never stopped. Jacob wasn't even sleeping in his house anymore he spent all his days and his nights away from the house. After three days of crying Billy wheeled into the room and came up to me. He took my wrist in his hands with his iron clasp grip and injected a needled to my arm. "Sorry," he said quietly. "It's for your health.

The room became very dizzy and my head fell to the pillow with a muffled _thud._ My heart still hurt, even in unconsciousness.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I woke several days later. There was no body in the house at all. I saw a note addressed to me taped to the Television.

Be back soon- Billy

What happened didn't seem real. It must have been a dream. I know it. It was a dream. Jacob would never say those things to me- not even in his greatest time of hurt. I looked at my wrist in hope but sure enough there was a small scar where Billy's needle pricked my skin. The door opened.

I sat up in the couch and stretched my arms "Billy?" I called out.

"Bella." A voice said- but it wasn't Billy's. It wasn't Jacob's. It was, however a voice I very well recognized. I sniffed the air cautiously. Vampire. That seemed to make it final then. My worst nightmare had come to life.

The vampire crept into the room and looked me straight in the eyes. I looked straight back. I knew I had to be brave but it was just so hard- I'd dreaded this day ever since the battle in the forest. I had left myself so open. So unprotected.

"Bella." The voice said again.

I looked it straight in the face and spoke back, "Victoria."

She took me away. I didn't struggle or attempt to morph. I just let her win. If she won then Jacob would no longer be in danger. Jacob would be safe- and that's all I wanted.

Victoria carried me to the forest again, a different spot once more. It was beyond our territory. She set me down on my feet and looked at me. "Oh, Bella. It won't be fun if you don't even _try_ to get away."

I didn't respond. I just looked back into her dull red eyes; she was thirsty. "Do you even want to know my plan of action? I imagined this a very emotional moment for you."

(Mmk. This flashback is going to be Victoria's and while she's having the flashback she's telling Bella what happened in the flashback. It took place before chapter 5. Got it? Let's go.)

**Flashback

I swooped into the boy's house. I had been watching both him and my prey for a long time now. They were in _love_. That girl just wanted me to kill her. Soundlessly I slipped into his bed and pulled him out the window with ease. I ran far enough away so that neither he nor his pack would find us. I would have him back before his pack members woke.

I threw him to the ground in a clearing surrounded by trees, my usual hunting ground. Mortals passed through here all the time. He woke on contact with the ground.

"Hello, Jacob."

"What the?" was his brilliant response.

"You are going to do me a favor, Ok?"

Jacob's eyes flurried with confusion. "Who are you? What do you want? How do you know me?" he bellowed.

"I've been watching you and your mate. She's my prey Jacob."

He roared at me looking about to phase into the werewolf I recognized him to be. "What do you want with Bella!" He exploded.

"Calm down. I won't kill her if you do me a favor."

"What do you want?" He asked his face swimming in fear. "I'll do whatever you want. Anything to save Bella's life!"

"First- if you morph I will kill you, and all the rest of them too."

He nodded with the look of a choking man on his face.

"Second- you will break her heart."

He looked about to object. But thought better of it. "Anything to save Bella's life." He whispered to himself.

"In order to do that I have a multitude of thing that we will do together- Bella will not know it's us and you will be _extremely _convincing or I _will _kill her. Do you understand?"

He nodded again, still choking.

"First, I realize that she will come over to your house to check on you soon. You are ill? It doesn't matter. We will be on your bed and I will kiss you. You _will _kiss back. Be as convincing as you can to break her heart. Make it look like you really _want _me." I smiled sadistically.

Jacob's eyes popped out of his head, but he nodded all the same. He was mumbling to himself quickly and quietly. "Anything to save Bella's life, anything to save Bella's life, anything to-"

"You will tell her that you have never loved you and that you hate her. Tell her you want her to die and that you love _me!_"

"NO!" Jacob bellowed. "I _can't _hurt her like that! I can't!"

"You better figure out how." I spoke mercilessly. "Or she will die."

He spoke in a very small voice. "You promise not to hurt her if I do this?"

I grinned devilishly. "Of course." That boy was a fool. He should have known never to trust a vampire.

The boy carried out the plan exactly as I ordered. He was a great actor for someone as bulky as himself.

After he told her he hated her and that he never wanted to see her again. He left his house. He spent every night of his in the woods crying and asking himself what he had done and reminding himself that it was to save the life of Bella.

When everyone was out of the house I preyed on Bella. I was looking forward to my face off with the boy. I had made sure that he was out of town at the time I was attacking Bella so he wouldn't get in the way. It all worked out perfectly.

Now my time had finally come. I would avenge Jame's death and I wouldn't do it without getting every last drop of the frail girl's blood.

**End flashback

(Back to Bella's point of view. Sorry if this is confusing.)

She walked over to me carefully and just when I thought that she was going to head back she struck. She was like a snake.

I spiraled headfirst into a tree and crashed into the trunk. The pain was unbearable I screamed in agony. She seemed to like that. The sound of my scream.

The vicious vampire destroyed my body. I was honestly beginning to wonder why I wasn't dying. I wished it to be quick then but the pain never ended. My body was crushed into the ground by her foot. She smashed my head into the dirt then seemed to leave me.

Just when I thought that it was over I felt a sharp rip in my arm near my elbow. Fire began to burn through my body as her teeth ripped into my flesh and drank the life out of me. Then she left again.

This time she didn't come back. I opened my eyes a tiny sliver and I saw two figures, one pale white and one russet brown. Both were standing over a burning corpse. They began to get bigger and bigger and suddenly they were next to me.

A strange mixture of hot and cold hands probed my body searching out every drop of blood and it's source. "Bella." Two perfect voices said at once. I barely heard them. The fire that burned in my body began to burn harder and faster. It flamed through me like I was made of gasoline. I screamed.

The fire never ended. It never stopped. It felt as if I were being dipped in acid. My flesh had to be tearing away from the white-hot flames. I felt one quick smash to the back of my neck and the world faded.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I really apologize for the delay on these chapters but here they are at last! Enjoy!

I awoke to the same strange mixture of hot and cold hands I passed out to. Surprisingly I wasn't at the hospital where I thought that I should have been. I was simply at Jake's house; the equipment from a hospital was crowded around Jacob's bed, which had been moved out of his closet-sized bedroom and into the slightly more spacious den. I stirred slightly, instantly regretting it. Sharp stabs of pain plunged into my ribs and legs. I winced.

"Bella?" One voice said. I opened my eyes to reveal Jacob hovering over me. "Are you, OK?" The shock prevented me to even attempt at talking. Slowly I nodded, a lie. I was anything but OK. Jacob seemed to know this quite well already seeing the way he raised his thick eyebrows at me in disbelief.

The room was silent except for the irritating bleeping of a monitor beside me. I searched the room for the cold hands. I knew I had felt them and I knew that there was only one thing that could be them. I could smell whomever it was- they were in the room right now. I was sure of it. There was a vampire here somewhere.

I attempted to talk but it didn't go too well. I'm sure Jacob understood me anyway. "Vampire?" My voice was scratchy and incoherent. It was Jacob's turn to nod. I tried to talk once more. "Who?" I asked.

"Carlisle." He replied, his jaw clenching. "He's trying to save you, Bella."

"Jacob?" I asked quietly.

He answered quickly, "Yes?"

"You lied to me? That day when I woke up? You told me," my voice began to choke up, "that you hated me."

Jacob's eyes burned intensely, "If I ever get my hands on that evil, conniving, sick little cockroach I'll kill her!" His voice broke twice, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'll tear her to ribbons! I'll make her wish that she had never messed with you!"

My heart stopped. The monitor's readings went blank. Carlisle was next to me in an instant. "Bella!" Jacob yelled. People suddenly surrounded me.

"Bella!" Carlisle's usually calm voice was drowned in anxiety. "Breathe, Bella!" I tried to obey and my heart stuttered back to life. Sighs of relief could be heard all around me. I looked around shakily to see Paul, Sam, Embry, Jared, Billy, Emily, Alice, Edward, Jasper, Emmett, surprisingly, Rosalie, Esme, and of course Jacob and Carlisle.

I tried to breathe but it felt as if there wasn't enough air. Carlisle seemed to notice and pulled out a long, clear tube. "Open." He instructed. I opened my mouth and he shoved the tube into my throat. I gagged, as air flooded down my esophagus and calmed my gasping lungs. The tube was uncomfortable, I felt as if I should chew it but Carlisle instructed me not to.

"What happened?" I choked out, trying to talk through the tube.

"Don't talk, Bella." Carlisle ordered gently, "We'll tell you everything when you're ready. Unless you're ready now?"

I nodded once and looked to the Cullen family. My hollow heart exploded in happiness. I had missed them all so much. The monitor went wild. Then I looked to the pack. Everyone was there. My tender heart slowed dramatically. Then I looked to Jacob. My heart threw fireworks. Was what Victoria said true? Did Jacob love me all along or was she telling a sick joke.

Carlisle, who was already scared at the intense speeding and slowing of my heart, nearly screamed in fear when my heart stopped all together as I thought about Victoria. When I thought about what Jacob said about her my heart stopped altogether once more.

_Jacob's eyes burned intensely, "If I ever get my hands on that evil, conniving, sick little cockroach I'll kill her!" His voice broke twice, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'll tear her to ribbons! I'll make her wish that she had never messed with you!"_

I couldn't help myself from attempting to talk again. Carlisle was pumping my heart by hand as my whole body went ice cold. This scared Carlisle even more, my body should have been burning hot to him.

"Victoria is still alive?" I gasped in the smallest voice I could muster.

Everyone around me looked so serious. In terror I smacked a button on the oxygen tank that was spitting air into my throat. I pulled out the plastic tube and spoke in horror.

"But she had to be dead!" I screamed, my heart pounding back to life too quickly. "I saw her! In the fire! I know I did!" Tears streamed from my eyes. I had never been more scared than I was right now. Not when I turned into a werewolf, not when Victoria flew me out the door, not when Edward left me, not when I met Laurent in the field. Cold terror was drowning me.

My body heaved with burning, sickening rounds of nausea. My face got hot and I could feel bile rising in my throat. My cheeks were ashen and my throat was ablaze. I leaned myself over the side of the bed and let my stomach's contents go. I felt so sick. So terrified. Esme immediately got to work at cleaning my mess.

I was soothed then. My heart beat at a normal pace and I felt as if nothing was wrong. _Jasper._ I glared at him. His calming was like a band-aid. It stopped the flow of panic as a band-aid would stop the flow of blood. But I knew that the fear was still there, it was just hiding. It wouldn't be long before it began to bleed through.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10

I really apologize for the delay on these chapters but here they are at last! Enjoy!

I awoke to the same strange mixture of hot and cold hands I passed out to. Surprisingly I wasn't at the hospital where I thought that I should have been. I was simply at Jake's house; the equipment from a hospital was crowded around Jacob's bed, which had been moved out of his closet-sized bedroom and into the slightly more spacious den. I stirred slightly, instantly regretting it. Sharp stabs of pain plunged into my ribs and legs. I winced.

"Bella?" One voice said. I opened my eyes to reveal Jacob hovering over me. "Are you, OK?" The shock prevented me to even attempt at talking. Slowly I nodded, a lie. I was anything but OK. Jacob seemed to know this quite well already seeing the way he raised his thick eyebrows at me in disbelief.

The room was silent except for the irritating bleeping of a monitor beside me. I searched the room for the cold hands. I knew I had felt them and I knew that there was only one thing that could be them. I could smell whomever it was- they were in the room right now. I was sure of it. There was a vampire here somewhere.

I attempted to talk but it didn't go too well. I'm sure Jacob understood me anyway. "Vampire?" My voice was scratchy and incoherent. It was Jacob's turn to nod. I tried to talk once more. "Who?" I asked.

"Carlisle." He replied, his jaw clenching. "He's trying to save you, Bella."

"Jacob?" I asked quietly.

He answered quickly, "Yes?"

"You lied to me? That day when I woke up? You told me," my voice began to choke up, "that you hated me."

Jacob's eyes burned intensely, "If I ever get my hands on that evil, conniving, sick little cockroach I'll kill her!" His voice broke twice, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'll tear her to ribbons! I'll make her wish that she had never messed with you!"

My heart stopped. The monitor's readings went blank. Carlisle was next to me in an instant. "Bella!" Jacob yelled. People suddenly surrounded me.

"Bella!" Carlisle's usually calm voice was drowned in anxiety. "Breathe, Bella!" I tried to obey and my heart stuttered back to life. Sighs of relief could be heard all around me. I looked around shakily to see Paul, Sam, Embry, Jared, Billy, Emily, Alice, Edward, Jasper, Emmett, surprisingly, Rosalie, Esme, and of course Jacob and Carlisle.

I tried to breathe but it felt as if there wasn't enough air. Carlisle seemed to notice and pulled out a long, clear tube. "Open." He instructed. I opened my mouth and he shoved the tube into my throat. I gagged, as air flooded down my esophagus and calmed my gasping lungs. The tube was uncomfortable, I felt as if I should chew it but Carlisle instructed me not to.

"What happened?" I choked out, trying to talk through the tube.

"Don't talk, Bella." Carlisle ordered gently, "We'll tell you everything when you're ready. Unless you're ready now?"

I nodded once and looked to the Cullen family. My hollow heart exploded in happiness. I had missed them all so much. The monitor went wild. Then I looked to the pack. Everyone was there. My tender heart slowed dramatically. Then I looked to Jacob. My heart threw fireworks. Was what Victoria said true? Did Jacob love me all along or was she telling a sick joke.

Carlisle, who was already scared at the intense speeding and slowing of my heart, nearly screamed in fear when my heart stopped all together as I thought about Victoria. When I thought about what Jacob said about her my heart stopped altogether once more.

_Jacob's eyes burned intensely, "If I ever get my hands on that evil, conniving, sick little cockroach I'll kill her!" His voice broke twice, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'll tear her to ribbons! I'll make her wish that she had never messed with you!"_

I couldn't help myself from attempting to talk again. Carlisle was pumping my heart by hand as my whole body went ice cold. This scared Carlisle even more, my body should have been burning hot to him.

"Victoria is still alive?" I gasped in the smallest voice I could muster.

Everyone around me looked so serious. In terror I smacked a button on the oxygen tank that was spitting air into my throat. I pulled out the plastic tube and spoke in horror.

"But she had to be dead!" I screamed, my heart pounding back to life too quickly. "I saw her! In the fire! I know I did!" Tears streamed from my eyes. I had never been more scared than I was right now. Not when I turned into a werewolf, not when Victoria flew me out the door, not when Edward left me, not when I met Laurent in the field. Cold terror was drowning me.

My body heaved with burning, sickening rounds of nausea. My face got hot and I could feel bile rising in my throat. My cheeks were ashen and my throat was ablaze. I leaned myself over the side of the bed and let my stomach's contents go. I felt so sick. So terrified. Esme immediately got to work at cleaning my mess.

I was soothed then. My heart beat at a normal pace and I felt as if nothing was wrong. _Jasper._ I glared at him. His calming was like a band-aid. It stopped the flow of panic as a band-aid would stop the flow of blood. But I knew that the fear was still there, it was just hiding. It wouldn't be long before it began to bleed through.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I ran as fast as I possibly could but it wasn't _nearly _fast enough. The orange haired vampire was in front of me in an instant, cackling madly. "Jacob!" I screamed, knowing he wouldn't hear me "Jacob help me! Don't let her touch me!" Victoria walked up to me menacingly and slapped me across the face. The place where her hand hit my cheek began to burn.

"Jacob! Oh, Jacob please help me!" She mocked. "Shut up! That little wolf doesn't love you! Who would ever love you? Certainly not that pwitty little Eddy boy? He left you alone! Not precious Jake! He wishes you had just left him alone."

"That's not true." I spoke up in a very small voice, only to receive a slap to my other cheek; I lifted my fingers gingerly to the place her hand struck me.

"It is _very _true and you will know it soon. He'll leave you by yourself just like Edward. He _wants_ me to find you and _kill_ you!" she spat in my face.

"Jacob loves me!" I yelled up to her. "Jacob would do anything for me!"

"Oh really?" she snorted, "Would he die for you?"

I gave a shaky nod. "Well, he's not going to be able to die for you! You'll die first!" she shrieked in a contorted voice. Throwing me to the ground and stepping on the small of my back to hold me down.

"Cry for Jacob! Cry for him! He won't come. Yell his name!" I kept silent; Victoria dropped her mouth to my ear. "_Yell it!" _she screamed

"Jacob! Help me. Please. She's going to kill me." I whispered, small tears sliding down my cheek. "I can't hear you!" she yelled to the sky.

"Help me, Jacob! She's going to kill me! Please!" I spoke louder.

She pressed a small sharp blade to my neck and tiny beads of blood began to appear. "Louder." She whispered sadistically. "_LOUDER!" _She shrieked digging the blade deep into my back.

I screamed out. "Jacob! Jacob! Help me! She's going to kill me! Jacob please!" I sobbed.

"I'm not sure I heard you! Speak _UP"! _The blade stabbed my back again. I shrieked. "JACOB!"

(Just FYI when I imagined Victoria at this point her voice and attitude were sort of like Bellatrix in Harry Potter. Creepy but very sure of herself. Just thought you might want to know…)

I woke with a dew of sweat encasing my face. My cheeks were flushed; my heart rate on the monitor was throwing fireworks. Jacob was hovering over me with tears welling up in his eyes. "Oh, Bella!" he gasped throwing his arms around me once he realized I was awake.

I hugged him back, crying into his shirts. "She never leaves me alone!" I sobbed next to his ear, "Not even in my dreams!"

"Don't worry, Bella. I won't let her hurt you! I won't let her touch you!"

Carlisle stormed into the room then "I came as fast as I could, I heard Bella screaming. Is she OK?" He asked quickly.

"It's ok, doc, just a nightmare." Jacob replied quietly. "I just wish that there was something I could do…"

"Did you even _try_ to wake her?" Carlisle asked urgently. Jacob threw him a look of disbelief.

"Of _course_ I did!" he yelled. "She was screaming for me, said that _that thing_ was gunna kill her… I was so scared."

Carlisle blinked and nodded sadly examining my body. I was gasping for breath, tears blurring my vision. "Well," he said slowly, "the good news is that you'll only have to stay in bed for one more day while your ribs continue to heal. Also, you're not allowed morph for the next few days. We don't want to put your body under that kind of strain until it's ready for it."

Carlisle smiled slightly and continued his checkup. "Your vocal chords seem to be working correctly as of the immense amount of talking there is here. However the screaming, if possible, should stop. We don't want to strain your voice."

"What if it's a nightmare?" Jacob asked squeezing me from behind. "She can't control what she does when she's asleep. She was screaming her head off last night."

"Well, of course there's nothing we can do about that… your left leg is completely healed, your right leg is almost done. Two of the four ribs are healed…look here." He instructed shining a light in my eyes and holding up a finger. He then moved his finger back and forth I followed it with my eyes. He then dropped the flashlight back in his pocket. Ok, call me in if you begin to feel sick or dizzy. Jacob, you'll stay with her, right?"

Jacob nodded wide-eyed as if it was the most obvious answer in the world, and maybe it was.

Staying in bed all day was unbearable.

I felt as if I was still asleep. My legs were sore and my bones ached from deep inside. When Carlisle had told me not to phase I didn't understand about the skeletal strain he was speaking of until now. I didn't think I could morph even if I wanted to. I hurt everywhere despite the fact that Carlisle was pumping painkillers into my body.

The strangest part was that I could actually _feel_ my bones healing and as the day went on the fire began to recede.

I was almost done.

Jacob seemed to notice this too, as he had been at my bedside all day. He pressed his huge hand to my cheek and I felt myself break out in a blush at his touch. Jacob smiled that grin I loved so much, showing me all his shining white teeth.

"You're getting better." He said. It wasn't a question- it was a fact.

"Yea." I replied thickly. I had used my voice as little as possible all day on Jacob's request.

"_I don't want you to lose your voice. If I had to go on forever without your voice I'm not sure I could stand it." _He had purred, making my heart skip a beat.

"I can really feel my bones growing back in place- it feels kinda weird…" I whispered in wonder.

"Don't talk…" Jacob whispered, pressed his finger to my mouth lightly then replaced it with his soft lips. I closed my eyes in bliss inhaling his warm scent. I kissed back _gently_, knowing that Jacob would want me to follow his example and not damage my body by something as silly as a kiss.

_Just a kiss…_ I thought sarcastically. _I would let Victoria kill me any day just to have this… _(Sorry I hate rhyming :P)

My thoughts trailed off into a pool of heaven until Jacob pulled away, reluctance dripping from his expression.

I didn't want him to leave me. I didn't want that kiss to end. The bleeping of the monitor slowed dramatically and I could feel my face flush in embarrassment.

"Will you turn that stupid thing off!" I snapped in embarrassment trying to hide my dumb red cheeks. "I'm fine! I don't need to be sitting here surrounded by hospital equipment with an IV in my hand!" I wiggled the back of my left palm and the plastic tube connected to it shivered a little bit.

Jacob's expression hardened. "No. I'm not taking any chances with you now. You can leave tomorrow."

I sighed in exasperation. He was acting like Edward did. Jacob isn't constantly fighting himself to not drink my blood so why can't we just kiss? I was so frustrated yet at the same time a different part of my mind was speaking. I was so in love with him! Jacob cared about me so much that he wouldn't break the rules. No matter how much I wanted him to. No matter how much he wanted to.

In that moment I knew that Victoria had to be stopped and that I was the one that had to finish her. I wouldn't be without Jacob and Jacob would never have to be without me. I wouldn't let myself die because if I did Jacob would die too. I wouldn't let Jacob die because if he did I surely would too.

If Victoria killed me- even in death- my soul would be tortured without Jacob.

That bitch Victoria was going down.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The next morning I woke up to a very bright light that was sparkling annoyingly into my eyes. I stirred slightly and looked around. I was in Jake's bedroom on the bed that was in the back room when I had fallen asleep. My feet hung over the side of the bed; I was about to slide onto the floor when I felt someone's hot breath on the bottom of my foot.

Quickly I stared at the floor in panic my feet flying back onto the bed. My gaze softened when I saw Jacob sprawled across the little floor that the bed left over. I sighed deeply- wishing he had just moved me to the couch and slept on his own bed.

Again, I thanked my super wolf strength when I lifted Jacob off the floor and gently onto his bed. He shifted he weight and opened his eyes to stare into mine.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?" I whispered to him. The drowsiness left eyes immediately and he stared around the room. He smacked his palm to his forehead.

"Oh, man!" he wailed, "Did I fall asleep on you?" He groaned.

"You haven't slept in forever, Jake you needed some rest! I'm fine! See? I'm alive!" I said doing a small 180 twist and back. Jacob's eyes searched me.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Fine." He gave up, finding nothing wrong. "But any pain at all and you'll be back in bed. I don't want you straining yourself!"

"Ok, ok!" I laughed, "but there's something that I've been dying to do ever since I woke up yesterday…"

I tore out of the house, running at full speed towards the denser woods. Once I was covered by a sea of pine I looked behind me, making sure Jacob wasn't there. When I was positive he wasn't coming I slipped off my clothes and dived into mid air, morphing halfway to the ground.

I breathed in a lungful of fresh air and began to run again.

_Bella! _Embry gasped happily._ Thought I'd never see you in wolf form again!_

I rolled my eyes. _I missed you too._

_Bella are you feeling all right now? _Sam inquired gently.

_Good as I'll ever be. Any sign of Victoria?_ I asked my thoughts flashing through my dream two nights ago. I could feel that stab in my back as if it had really happened.

_Hey!_ Quil called, joining us. _I did _not _need to feel that! _He groaned. _I would say keep your thoughts to yourself but I know that won't happen. Can you at least _not _stab me in the back?_

_I didn't think of it on purpose! Do you think I like remembering?_ I snapped at him, _Sam! Any trace of the leach?_ I asked a little more harshly than necessary.

_No Bella. Even if there were you wouldn't be coming with us to find her._

Rage filled me up fast. _Why? Because I'm a girl?_

It wasn't Sam's voice that replied. _Because I don't want you to get hurt. _Jacob murmured sadly.

My thoughts softened considerably. _Everyone gets hurt, Jake._ I told his soothingly- wanting him to be anything but sad. I _don't want _you _to get hurt! I _love _you! _Infatuation clouded any further thoughts. I ran to Jacob and playfully tackled him to the ground, licking his mouth lightly.

_Ew! _Embry thought, annoyed. _Get a room or phase back or _SOMETHING! He wailed, then muttered, _can't stand being around imprinted people…_

_Oh, come on, _big brother_! I haven't phased in ages and now I'm not allowed to? Not even you're that mean! _I whined tackling him to the ground with me. I pinned him down without much effort.

Embry pouted, _I wasn't ready. _Such a stupid excuse.

_It's not an excuse it's true! _Little sister!

_Embry shut up. _Sam thought urgently

_Why? She started it! I wasn't ready for her!_

_Embry SHUT UP! _Sam thought with the alpha's voice

Embry drew back at the harshness in Sam's thoughts. Everyone was quiet for a few moments.

_Do you hear that?_ Sam whispered, as if whatever he heard would be scared away by his thoughts. None of us needed to reply, Sam could feel the question in the mood.

_I thought I heard- _he began to say. The rest of his thoughts were cut off as he tried to let us hear what he heard from his memory. The memory sounded like a broken scratchy disk but still audible.

The second I heard that noise I knew why Sam had been so fierce. I knew why he was so tense and _afraid._ The second I heard that noise I was afraid too. I was more than afraid. I was _terrified._

The noise was indescribable but everyone seemed to know what it was. It wasn't just the noise, however, it was the scent that went along with it. That scent that we all knew too well.

_It's only Carlisle, it's only Carlisle_, I thought desperately to myself. _It's Carlisle or Esme or Edward…_

_No. _Quil's choked voice murmured. _It's…it's…_

With a deafening crack the trees behind us fell revealing a figure. The figure had long flowing hair and a cat like stance. It's eyes were a glowing ruby red.

Without warning she ran to us with invisible speed. Jacob kicked me back and protected the spot where I stood. Why was she here? Why was she here now?

Terror filled me incredibly fast as I tried to remember what I had vowed to do last night. My eyes locked onto the ravenous killer and immediately I knew what i had to do.

_Victoria is mine. _I growled to the rest of them._ Sam don't touch her. _I commanded.

_Bella. No. Go home and phase back _now_, h_e demanded as the alpha.

Blinded by fury I tore back home. When I was in the woods closest to Jacob's house where I had left my clothes I tried to phase back to human- I honestly did. But nothing would happen. Nothing at all. I took deliberate deep breaths in and out but no matter how hard I concentrated my white fur would not recede.

I could hear every thought the boys had and apparently once I left so did Victoria. She was looking for me. Jacob took off running for her, desperate for her not to find me.

_Jacob please! _I pleaded with him,_ please leave her alone don't be reckless we'll wait it out she'll go away and come back later! My e_yes strained to see what he was seeing and when I did I was horrified.

Jacob wasn't on our side of the border. Jacob wasn't on our territory. Jacob was officially on Cullen land. I gasped. He was right by the side of a cliff, water rushing madly at the bottom. I had never been there before but I could tell that if Jacob made one wrong move he'd be dead meat.

_Jacob you turn around right now or I'll- _then i happened.

Victoria went for him. "Stupid, stupid wolf." she whispered crushing him away from her with one blow. Jacob's wolf body tumbled over the side of the cliff and smashed into the raging waters. Then all of Jacob's sights faded away into dark, black nothingness.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

There was nothing that could hide my scream of raw horror.

Terror filled me rapidly and huge hot tears spilled over my eyes immediately. It was as if my heart had been attached to a bomb the moment I had imprinted on Jacob. Now my time was up. That bomb had exploded.

Along with every other member of the pack that saw what had happened, I rushed to the cliff where my Jacob had fallen, poking my head over the edge searching for any sign of Jacob's body. If anyone was thinking anything I wasn't hearing it. I couldn't hear anything. I couldn't see anything except for raging waters. They attacked the side of the rocky cliff fiercely. There was no way Jacob could have survived the fall. There was no way at all.

My head snapped up to the sky and I let out an earsplitting howl of pain. The sound bounced off the surrounding trees and filled the air so that it could be heard a thousand times over. The howl choked off into a gurgled sob and then everything was quiet again.

_It didn't happen, it didn't happen! It was all my imagination!_ In fury I stepped back preparing to jump- then leaped off the cliff to a harmony of growls and hollering behind me.

Wind _whooshed _through my ears deafeningly and my head broke the surface of the water quite smoothly. Ice captured my hollow heart. My whole body shook with the unbearable cold but I didn't care- I twirled under the water and splashed up to the surface as I gasped the cold air. Despite the fact that my body temperature was well above normal for a human being it felt like I was breathing in sharp shards of ice.

My snout dug under the water- I dived in again and again but there was no sign of his body. It was no use. Jacob was gone. I was gone. I felt disconnected from my brain as I searched hopelessly over and over my will fading away as if the rushing water had drawn it away.

Suddenly my body was still. I could fight no longer. I saw no use in living if I couldn't be with Jacob. My paddling paws rested and my head dipped under the water. I sunk into the black depths of the waters. My white fur swayed in the icy water the bright surface shone tantalizingly above me tempting me to go back up. My lungs exploded for air. They screamed it so loud that they began to shrivel up into little nothings.

I closed my eyes and let myself go. Suddenly something hit me square on the stomach causing what little breath I had left to whoosh out of me in a swarm of bubbles. Water filled my mouth, nose and ears burning my throat and nostrils. One of _them_ was trying to save me.

I didn't want to be saved. I didn't want to live anymore. I just wanted to die. Why couldn't they just let me die? Unconsciousness threatened to take me away and I was just about to give in when my head dipped under the water while I was being dragged back to the rocky shore. My mouth filled up with water once more and I began to choke. I gagged and coughed violently but I was never able to get the salty sea water out of my system.

Breathing became more difficult as my body was pulled onto the sharp rocks. I was trying to breathe but the water in my throat wouldn't let me catch one breath. "Bella! What's wrong with you?" Sam's sharp voice yelled- he was back to his human form. Someone placed a hot hand up to my cheek and it reminded me so much of Jacob. My white fur curled back up into my body. The freezing air gnawed on my bare skin and I began to vibrate madly as the wind pricked my body like a thousand tiny teeth.

None of the boys seemed to care about what they were seeing they only cared about getting me home alive. Who cared about me? Why weren't they looking for Jacob? I wasn't on the brink of death. I wasn't lost somewhere in the ocean.

I was tilted forward and a fountain of water erupted out of my mouth. It seemed to last forever but eventually the water receded and I was able to breathe air. Someone lifted me off the ground like a groom would his bride and began to run very quickly through a web of trees. The heat of nausea swam in my head, motion sickness hung in the air as I tried not to throw up all over a brother. "Jacob!" I croaked. "Jacob!" I pounded on the chest of whoever was holding me.

"They're looking, Bella. They really are. But that was stupid jumping off the cliff like that when you have just barely gotten out of bed. We'll be lucky if your ribs didn't fracture again!" I recognized the voice of Sam.

"Where did you leave your clothes?" he questioned mostly to himself. I couldn't answer him. I wanted _Jacob_. No one else.

"Where is Jacob?" I sobbed. "Make Jacob come here!"

"We'll find him don't worry. But if we don't-" I didn't even get to hear what he said next. There was a 'but'. _Maybe _I'd be able to see Jacob again. Maybe. That was what sent me off away from the rest of the world. That was what disconnected me.

Maybe they would find Jacob. Maybe he'd be alive if they maybe found him. Maybe I will die if I find out that Jacob wasn't maybe alive if they maybe found him.

Maybe I would die- but I'd never really been the lucky type.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

When I woke I was in Jacob's bed as usual. I almost never slept at my own house as to stay close to the pack in case of an emergency. I wandered into the kitchen and cracked some eggs onto the stove in case Jake woke up soon. While I waited for the eggs to harden I searched the house for my wolf. Coming up unsuccessful I decided that he must be out on patrol and I would have to eat the eggs myself.

After I had gobbled down the eggs and four pieces of toast I poked my head out the door and ran to the nearby woods. I stripped and tied my clothes neatly to my left hind leg with a strap of leather. I morphed after a moment of concentration.

_Hey, anyone there?_ I questioned in my mind.

_Bella? _Seth asked in wonder. _You sound…happy._ His voice was dripping with sorrow.

I tilted my head to one side. _Why wouldn't I be?_

Seth was left speechless along with Paul and Jared who also shared my mind. For a moment I was confused- then I remembered why I had morphed in the first place.

_Hey, is Jake with us? He's not back at home right now._

Everyone's confusion cut off abruptly and the raw sorrow returned. _Jacob isn't here, Bella. _Paul whispered, I knew he could feel the question in my mind. I knew everyone could- but no one answered it.

_Well where is he?_ I asked a little worried for the well being of my Jacob.

_He fell._ Jared stated quietly. His memory was so strong I could see everything that happened. I could see me. The memory of what happened yesterday rushed back to me so quickly I started to get nauseous.

_It wasn't a dream? _I hushed. _No! Where is he? Where is Jacob? I need Jacob!_ I screamed in my head.

_We couldn't find him…I'm sorry. This is a serious blow to everyone, ok?_ I wanted to rip Seth to shreds. I wanted to tear him up and eat the pieces. Hearing my thoughts he instinctively backed away from me.

_Bella! _Paul commanded, _Seth isn't the victim here!_

He was right. There was someone else. The one who actually killed him. The one who really was to blame. The victim.

_Victoria!_ My mind screeched. I took off.

I couldn't feel my feet hitting the ground. I couldn't see where I was going. I could hear anyone's thoughts except for my own. But I could smell her. It felt as if someone had pressed fast forward on my life. I ran faster than I ever had before I ran to her.

My nose led me to the side of a cliff. Not the one that Jacob had fallen from but it was off our territory all the same. Victoria was waiting patiently for me on a rock- she was examining her long, sharp fingernails.

"Bella, I've been expecting you." She welcomed me.

This is it. I thought quietly, as if she could hear what I was thinking. This is my last chance. I backtracked into the woods and retreated back to my human form. I needed to be able to talk for just a moment. When I was ready to fight I would morph- I knew that I was faster than her. I slipped into my clothes and took one quivering step at a time back to the cliff side.

"You have hurt me." I glared at her with furious brown eyes. "You have hurt my friends." I began to stalk her in a circle and she played along with a humored smile on her pallid face. "You have killed my love." I growled, the circle tightened and my jaw clenched.

"But it doesn't matter now, Victoria." I sneered her name. "Your time is _up._ James is gone. Laurent is gone. There is no one that will save you. There is nothing that can stop me."

"I'd like to see you _try_ to kill me, puppy!" she snorted. "I'm not afraid of you."

"You are going to die, Victoria." She chuckled in disbelief for a moment.

"_I'm gunna kill you!" _I snarled, the circle got even smaller.

"Jacob will be avenged!"

She leaped to me and tried to pin me down- her teeth poised over my exposed neck but I was to strong. I threw her back and leaped over to her morphing halfway through the air. I didn't leave her time to catch one breath. Before either of us could comprehend anything else my razor sharp claws pierced her white marble skin.

I ripped my paws to opposite sides, tearing her limb from limb. My teeth snapped onto her thin neck. Victoria squirmed in pain trying to free herself. I kicked her mutilated limbed away from me and they wriggled in the dust still alive.

There was only time for her to let out one last his before her head was ripped clean off her body and thrown onto the pile with the rest of her limbs. One of her rock hard arms inched over to me.

Without warning on of her disembodied arms twisted itself around my throat. Every time I took a breath the choke hold squeezed tighter.

She was like a snake.

Suddenly a huge fire rip roared to life behind me. The fumes from the smoke tainted what little air was left for me to breathe.

No! I was so close! I could feel the darkness of death creeping up on me as my intake of air was lessened even more.

I was dying.

_I'm sorry Jacob! I love you! _I thought dizzily as I took my last breath.

_I love you too, Bella! You're not going to die! _A beautiful voice chanted in my head. The voice was perfect. More perfect than anything I had ever heard before. I choked harder.

Jacob.

Everything went black.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

I woke abruptly to the very unnatural feel of cold lips on my face blowing air into me. My eyes snapped open and white hands threw themselves around my neck. "Bella!" a beautiful voice gasped- my blurry vision locked onto Edward who was hovering over me worriedly.

My delayed reaction to what I had heard right before swooning immediately activated. Jacob. Jacob was alive. Was Jacob alive or was it just my imagination? _I love you too, Bella! You're not going to die._ I was sure that I heard it. I was sure it was Jacob.

"Jacob?" I snapped at Edward, his facial expression drooped a little bit. "He's taking care of-" a small growl escaped him, "Victoria." Suddenly the expression on his face changed from sorrow to anger.

"Why are you always thinking about Jacob? You are _mine!_ I had you _first!'_ he snarled. "You. Are. Mine." He repeated. Then he leaned.

Furiously he grabbed the sides of my face and smashed his icy lips against mine. His mouth moved heatedly against mine despite the face that I was trying to shove him away from me. He was too persistent and much stronger than I was when I was in my human form. He leaned forward even more, pressing all his weight against me.

Why was he doing this? What had gotten into Edward? I shoved harder but he still wouldn't move one inch. His lips began to trail down my mouth…down my neck…lower and lower. His hand groped my inner thigh.

Suddenly all his weight was gone. Jacob's huge frame guarded me. He threw his arms out protectively, his teeth bared and snarls ripping from his throat.

"Step aside, wolf!" Edward called angrily. "She was mine first!" He charged at Jacob who turned to me and pushed me away as hard as he could- sending me hurdling over the edge of the cliff. My body smashed into the water cracking my back. Automatically I opened my mouth to scream sending salt water flooding down my throat.

Immediately Jacob was in the icy water with me dragging me back to shore. I wriggled on the sand trying to cough up all of the water but it sent a flurry of sharp stabs of pain up and down my back. Jacob helped me lean forward to clear my mouth.

"Bella! Bella I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! Are you ok? Are you hurting?" he yelled frantically. I shook my head and tried to get up to prove that I was all right. The second I was on my feet I collapsed again my hands clutching my back. Jacob looked about to beat himself up. "Really, Bella, there are no words for what I'm feeling. I'm so impossibly sorry! What can I do?"

"I just want to go home." I whispered ashamed of myself that I couldn't even walk. "When I get my hands on that disgusting, filthy, evil little beast I'm gunna kill him!" Jacob growled almost inaudibly. My eyebrows knit together.

"Please. No." I whispered, "He…he…" I failed to think of an excuse for what he had done. For some reason I just couldn't be angry at Edward- maybe it was shame or embarrassment or just worry for Jacob but there wasn't room for anger in me.

Jacob's face pouted but he kept silent I looked away from him, scared to look into his eyes. Desperate for something to do I tried to stand again to the severe protest of my back. Jacob put a hand on my chest trying to make me lie down instead of stand up. "No." he said firmly.

Jacob placed one hand carefully on the back of my neck and another on my lower back then lifted me very slowly. "If you're hurting you have to tell me- I'll find a way to carry you so it's not painful." He murmured gently.

I sighed, unable to stop thinking about Edward. About what would have happened if Jacob hadn't saved me from him. I didn't want to think about it but all of the different possibilities ran through my head too strong to be stopped. "Are we going home?" I asked a little bit louder, trying to change the subject when I realized that we were actually moving.

"Yea." He replied letting out a yawn that should have belonged to a bear.

"You're tired." I accused.

"Yea…" I smiled a little bit.

"So what happened exactly?" I asked looking into his eyes. "When you fell. How did you get back and how did you know where I was?" all the questions that had plagued me were all coming back up to the surface now.

"Well," he looked off into the distance at something that would hurt my back if I tried to see it too. "When I fell off the cliff all I was afraid of was that Victoria would be done with me and go back after you- or that you would go looking for her, which ended up happening. It felt like I had drowned but I was still conscious. I was drowning in everything. The water, the pack's thoughts, and mostly what you were feeling. I can feel what you were feeling and I have no idea how everyone else was still standing after feeling that." He looked down at me again. "I knew that if I died then you would try to kill yourself too and I knew that I didn't want that to happen.

"There was nothing I could do, however, to stop sinking I was paddling as hard as I could but I couldn't make it to the surface. Suddenly, right when I was about to pass I hit shore. It was weird- I thought that I had been in one spot but apparently I was moving towards shore without even knowing it. I knew that I had to get to you but I was so tired and I was afraid that if you were in the middle of something and I passed out it would take a lot longer for me to wake up from passing then for me to wake up from sleep. Get it?" he asked taking the his second breath for the whole monologue.

I nodded a laugh bubbled up at my lips but I held it in. "Go on- how did you find me?"

"Well by the time I had woken up and phased you had morphed back to human to talk to Victoria, I asked everyone there where you were and they told me where you were because they were going there too. We ran together and I guess when you morphed back to wolf you were blocking out everyone's thoughts because I kept telling you that I was coming but you couldn't hear. When I got to the cliff I didn't see you were being choked so I started the fire and by the time that I was ready to throw all the pieces in I noticed that you were about to pass out and you kept thinking that you were going to die and you were apologizing for something that wasn't your fault. I pulled the arm off you and was throwing all the leftovers into the fire. That's when Cullen got here and I told him to start CPR.

"I guess you woke up and when I was done with the bloodsucker I looked over to you and he was overpowering you and kissing you madly and…touching you…" he trailed off. "You know the rest- and don't I have great timing?" he asked. I tilted my head to one side in confusion.

"You're home silly!" I looked up at my house. It was Jacob's house but it was my house too. Victoria was gone, potential danger was gone, and with Jacob back it really felt like home again.

"Jacob?" I asked, "Do you want to know a secret?"

"Sure." He replied looking into my eyes.

"_I love you."_

He chuckled a little bit. "Do you want to know my secret?" he growled seductively.

"What?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.

"I love you too."

In that instant I realized the truth in his statement. No matter what peril or dangerous feat lied before us Jacob was, and always would be, mine _forever._


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The following morning I groggily woke up to the noise of a hard fist knocking lightly on the front door. I rustled in bed and stumbled to the door and tiredly turned the old knob. Jacob had been woken too and was soon behind me, one arm wrapped affectionately around my waist. Suddenly he put his hand on mine- stopping me from opening the door. He growled.

I sniffed the air but my nose was too clogged to smell what was wrong. I snuffled and opened the door after pushing Jacob's hand away. I instantly could tell why he had been growling. Edward was there. His form was hidden behind Carlisle's.

"What do you want you leaches?" Jacob snarled dangerously, hate in his eyes.

Edward spoke quietly, "I would like to formally apologize for my behavior yesterday. It was completely out of line for me to act that way."

Jacob stretched up on his toes and leaned up above Edward; he was so much taller. "She doesn't except, you filthy rapist! Leave!" Jacob roared.

I spoke up in a small voice from behind Jacob, "Please come in Edward."

"You're on our land, bloodsucker! I'm allowed to kill you here and now!" Jacob growled.

"Please, Jacob, stop." I murmured, having to stand on my toes to reach his ear- but what was the use? Edward and Carlisle could hear everything I said anyway. Even if Jacob didn't speak foully to Edward I was positive that he was thinking it.

I sat on the couch and Jacob quickly stole the spot next to mine, his fingers curled into mine and he rested our hands on my knee. Carlisle and Edward didn't look at all uncomfortable standing where they were, only a few feet out of the doorway.

"Watch yourself, vamp." Jacob rumbled. At the intensity he was glaring at Edward, a hole should have burned straight through him already.

Edward looked straight into my eyes, his expression was pained and with his perfect voice he spoke his apology.

"Bella, I am so absolutely sorry for what I did yesterday. I understand that you no longer belong to me, not that you ever did. As you know I always had been the one that belonged to _you._ What I did was inexcusable and I know that there is no way for me to take back my actions. I'm trying to wrap myself around the idea of you and Jacob together instead of you and I. I left for a reason- because I wanted you to think that if I had moved on so would you. Now that you have actually done what I intended you to do I feel… empty. Incomplete.

"There has been and never will be another person like you in this world and I'm trying to imagine myself without you. Trust me, Bella; it's not a pretty sight. But I know that if I love you, if I _really _love you, I should let you go."

Then he got up with the most overt grace and left, Carlisle trailing behind him. I blinked my eyes together but found it hard to open them again. My eyelashes were stuck together and I knew that if I opened my eyes I would cry, I didn't want Jake to have to see that.

Jacob must have seen my expression, well _duh _he saw my expression, for he asked me in the most worried tone, "Bella are you ok?"

Wordlessly, I nodded my head having to making sure that my body actually obeyed my commands.

"Bella, look at me." Jacob commanded. I didn't move.

"Bella, look at me now!" Jacob's tone got more urgent. Slowly, I opened my eyes and all the tears that I had been holding in flooded out. With a gasp I threw my arms around Jacob's neck and cried. He soothingly patted my back in slow circles.

"I'm a t-t-terrible p-person!" I stuttered between sobs, "I-I shouldn't have let… let him h-hurt over m-me! I j-just want him t-t-to be h-h-happy!"

"Here, here, Bella." Jacob eased, "Look at me, ok?" when I didn't obey he lifted my chin and looked me in the eyes until I looked back. He leaned into me and kissed me very gently. I held the kiss close, moving my chokehold on his neck to his back. I wanted to feel better. I wanted Jacob to make me feel better but it wasn't working.

I deepened the kiss in desperation, my lips moving harder and faster. I could feel the worry radiating off of Jacob. He didn't want to do this. I could feel his body moving back away from me, trying to pull away and snap me out of my despondency but I moved with him.

BANG!

The front door burst open with a smash, I jumped off of Jacob in fear and surprise. I could smell her before I could see her.

Vampire.

My face flushed as I pushed myself farther away from Jacob.

"H-hey, Alice…" I stuttered my voice still thick from crying.

Alice's usually pallid face was red with embarrassment of walking in on us. She came closer to me. 'Sorry' she mouthed.

"S'ok." I muttered. Jacob groaned.

"Do you vampires have issues with personal space or something?" Jacob growled. Alice giggled.

"No, silly! Just came to announce to Bella we are officially staying in Forks!"

My heart sank in my chest and stayed there. If felt as if someone had dropped a one hundred pound weight on my heart and watched it droop. Edward. Edward was staying. Edward was going to be at school. Jacob was making me go to school again. Didn't Alice see what happened between Edward and me only moments ago?

"Alice…" I began, "Did you not see… what just happened here?" I whispered. Alice's face drooped, her face going red once more.

"Actually, no. I can't see you." She poked my belly, "Or you." She pointed to Jacob. "It's weird… but I did smell Edward. I thought you two had made up?"

I could feel more tears coming, "No." I choked. My shorter brown hair couldn't curtain my face anymore.

"I think you should leave." Jacob whispered to her, also feeling my emotional climax coming. Alice nodded and was out the door before I saw her move.

I didn't know if Jacob was talking or not, if he was I couldn't hear him. I stared at nothing, knowing what I had to do tomorrow. I couldn't leave things things the way that they were- I couldn't let Edward walk out and leave the tang of sorrow in the air. I hated him but I had to clear my conscious.

I had to see Edward.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

I drove to the Cullen house muttering grave curses under my voice; my red truck seemed to roar in protest as if it, along with Jacob, thought that me going to see the Cullens was an idiotic idea. By the time I had gotten to the manor all my steam had been blown off. I slammed the door of the truck; the frame shuddered under the force, and then dragged my feet up the driveway onto the sidewalk.

I hopped the curb and began to stalk up to the house, kicking a rock on the way there. What a stupid idea. Even as a werewolf my balance wasn't the greatest I tripped over my own foot and the concrete sidewalk swirled up into my face. To arms caught me halfway to the ground. I looked up, and to my immense annoyance, saw Edward.

"Bella?" he asked in surprise. "Why are you here?"

I clenched my jaw, unwilling to say what I had been planning to tell him. It was way to harsh. Ever since I had morphed I have been so tough- like a stubborn piece of meat that will not break no matter how hard you chew it...

_I hate you. I hate you so much. I need you to know that it is very hard for me to accept the fact that you are here. What you did... it was stupid and out of line- but it made me see that I didn't make it so hard for you either. Edward I don't love you and I don't want you around._

"Bella, I understand that you still may have some hard feelings against me but I need you to know that I will never hurt you. Ever." He said soothingly. It was as if he knew what I was thinking. He lifted my chin up so our eyes met. I stared into his golden honey eyes and was unable to look away, a vampire charm I assumed.

"A vampire charm?" Edward asked, cocking his head to one side. My eyebrows knit together. I could have sworn that I didn't say that out loud.

"Yea, I know. I don't think you said that out-" Edward stopped in the middle of his sentence. Then stepped back a little bit, looking me over. After a moment he stepped closer to me once more and whispered. "You didn't say that out loud either."

Silently, I shook my head no. Edward looked at me in astonishment. "Think something. Anything." He commanded.

_I love Jacob. I love Jacob. I wish Jacob were here. I want Jacob here. I want to go home to Jacob. I want Jacob to kiss me again._ I thought furiously.

"OK!" Edward raised his voice a little more loudly than necessary. Noticing he'd startled me he began to whisper again. "Why can I read your mind?" he murmured.

I shook my head still unable to say anything. I blinked my eyes and turn around, running back to my car. I had never been one to back out once I had begun- but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't be anywhere near Edward with him able to hear every thought of mine. I couldn't.

I leapt in my car, tears streaming from my eyes. I couldn't make sense why this bothered me so much... I just had a feeling that something bad was going to happen...soon.

I backed out of the driveway and rolled up in front of Jake's house. There was rustling and shuffling to be heard inside of the house. There was more that one or two boys in there. It sounded like the whole pack.

I stumbled to the door and turned the knob. Instantly I regretted walking into the house. The second the door was open I saw nine teenage faces open their mouths to yell a course of:

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BELLA!"

I felt as if my ears had turned inside out. I stared, with wide, loathing eyes, into the eyes of every boy in that room.

Finally I looked right into the eyes of Jacob, trying desperately not to sell out and lose all of my anger. With all of the mock detestation I could muster I whispered, knowing he could hear me, "You. Will. Pay."

Jacob opened his mouth and laughed impossibly loud. Looking to all of his friends who had died down to hear the fight.

Jacob looked me right in the eyes and said, "I love you too, honey!"


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

I stared around the room in a strange mixture of awe, fury and love. There were red and blue streamers hanging limply from the ceiling and a few lonely green balloons floating lazily around the room. On the well-aged wooden table in the middle of the room stood a proud snow white frosted cake. I read the clumsy, smeared print off of the surface.

_Happy Birthday Bella_

I had completely forgotten that today was my birthday, my 19th birthday. I stared at the cake but that was not what I was seeing- right in front of me, it seemed, was what had happened on my birthday last year. The day that changed everything.

I could feel the adrenaline pulsing through me as my imaginary Jasper hurled himself at me. I could feel the unbearable pain of Edward breaking my heart. I could feel the fear and horror, as I became something that I never planned on being. I could feel the love and cherish as my Jacob told me he loved me for the first time…

"Bella?" Jacob asked confusedly, "You ok?" I shook my head, clearing the fateful images from my mind. Then I looked to him and smiled.

"Are you going to open up the presents?" Emily asked worriedly.

"Presents?" I asked in a voice that didn't seem to be mine. "You got me presents?"

"Well duh!" Embry shouted. "It's your birthday!" I looked over to the small pile of gifts that were on a small table to the side of the room. I was unnaturally exited to see what they had got me.

"Who's first?" my voice was small- almost afraid.

"Ours." Sam spoke wrapping his arm around Emily's waist to elaborate the fact that it was both of them.

"I plopped down on the couch and stretched out my arms as Seth handed me a long flat gift. I slowly ripped the paper open to reveal a large pan of blueberry muffins. I chewed on my lip, a smile playing at the corners of my mouth. I picked up one of the muffins and nibbled on the side. It was delicious.

"Mhmm!" I savored the flavor in my mouth. "It's _so _good!"

Emily smiled happily, "I'm glad you like them- I know that blueberry is your favorite." I nodded taking another monster bite, Emily giggled.

I heard Jared grunt with annoyance. "Here!" he spoke loudly shoving a clumsily wrapped gift into my face. "It's from Quil, Embry and I." I laughed softly and ripped away the silver paper to reveal a small light green ipod. My eyes widened in shock. "Dude!" I almost yelled, "I love it but you must have spent a fortune on this! You really shouldn't have!"

Quil grinned slyly and whispered, "Just look on the back." I flipped the cool metal over in my hand and saw small words engraved onto the back.

_Happy birthday to the white wolf_

_Quil, Embry, and Jared_

I sighed slowly wishing they hadn't spent so much money on me. "Jacob, did you spend money on me too?" He smiled, seeming relieved. "Nope." I stretched my arm out to him, gesturing for him to hand me his gift too. He dropped a very small blue gift bag into my palm.

I slowly took out the ocean colored stuffing and looked as a small silver bracelet on the bottom of the bag. Gingerly, I lifted it out and looked at the sliver chain sporting a small, immensely detailed wooden wolf charm. I could feel my face slowly go hot.

Jacob fidgeted next to the couch. "Well, do you like it?" he asked softly.

"Jacob," I whispered, "it's…it's beautiful."

He laughed a little bit, "That's only part one of the present. Here's part two." I was about to object but my lips were suddenly very busy. All I could feel was Jacob. All I could think was Jacob. I loved Jacob so much. The kiss was long and dizzying. When he finally broke from me my head was spinning but I was still able to make out the uncomfortable faces of the rest of the pack.

"Like my present?" Jacob panted.

I gasped for air for a moment before replying, "Love it."

After opening a few more gifts and stuffing four pieces of the coconut-flavored cake in my mouth I shooed the rest of the pack out of the house, completely exhausted. I shut my eyes and sighed. "May I carry you to bed, ma'am?" Jacob spoke in a very regal tone, bowing slightly.

"Please." I whispered. He lifted me easily and carried me to his huge white bed. He kissed my head lightly and left the room, closing the door behind him. About half an hour later I was still awake thinking about the days events. Then the door opened.

I smelled the abrupt stink of vampire as Alice's bell voice chimed from the front room. "Bella?" she gasped urgently. Jacob groaned, "Not now, vamp, she's sleeping."

"Wake her up!" Alice whispered without delay. When Jacob didn't reply she continued. "It's important!"

Jacob still didn't speak. I could hear the swish of Alice's clothes move past him to hastily for him to stop her. She opened the door to Jacob's room and walked up to the bed. My eyebrows pulled down as I pretended to be asleep. I didn't want to be bothered.

"Bella wake up now!" she almost yelled shaking my shoulder brusquely.

I rolled over and growled in annoyance. "What do you want Alice?"

"It's Edward! He's gone! To the Volturi! I think he's going to try to get them to kill him!" I immediately shot up out of the book and looked at Alice very seriously.

Jacob threw his hand in the air. "Hooray!" he mocked with a bit of real celebration in his voice. "Finally we will be rid of that leach! Why aren't you rejoicing too?" Alice spun around and gracefully gave him a high velocity punch to the face sending him hurdling into the wall but not breaking through it. If any punch could ever be referred to as graceful it would be that one.

I was in outrage but I knew that Jacob sort of deserved what he got. I jumped out of the bed over to him then looked back to Alice. Her hair was not shiny and neat like it usually was; it was sticking out in odd places and ruffled up. Her eyes were a shimmering black and drenched in worry. Her face was bleached by the glow of the moon, casting a silver shadow on her making her look more menacing as usual. Her joints were ridged and scared.

"We have to do something! _I _have to do something! This is all my fault! This morning…I…I was talking to him…" my voice began to choke up, my face grew hot and boiling tears began to brew in my eyes.

"Bella, you're the only one that can convince him to come back!" I knew that already but apparently Jacob disagreed. He staggered up from the ground and snarled at Alice.

"Get out! She's not going anywhere to save that menace!" I looked fiercely back and forth at the both of them not knowing who to side with. I remembered faintly about what Edward had said about the Volturi exactly one year ago…

Edward's life was in my hands and I had the power to leave him or keep him alive. The decision was mine to make.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"No."

Alice stared at me blankly, obviously trying to hide her disappointment and outrage. "What?" She asked slowly, shaking her head as if she thought she didn't hear me correctly.

"I said no." I confirmed icily, folding my arms tightly across my chest. "But…" Alice stuttered, squeezing her eyes hut tight. "But…I was…counting on you, Bella. Our whole family was counting on you! If you don't help us…Edward…he will die!"

_"Edward," _I drew out his name emphasizing the fact that I didn't care about it any longer. "Isn't my problem anymore. I know it may seem…harsh, but it's the truth. Walking straight into Volterra as a werewolf is too dangerous for me to risk for one… vampire that has broken my heart more times than it can be mended.

"Besides," I began a little more pleasantly, an embarrassed smile playing at the corners of my lips, "He left so that I could have a chance at a _normal_ human life and _obviously _that isn't going to happen now. He wanted me to take a try at love one more time, to fall in love with someone who could love me back without fear of hurting me…and I have." I wrapped one arm around Jake's waist to elaborate that he was the only one for me.

"Bella." Alice whispered, clearly trying not to lose her temper. "I don't really think that you understand the problem here."

I groaned a little bit. "I completely understand what is happening. Edward didn't get what he wanted so he ran away like a child, like a…hormonal teenager who lost a love that he would die to have. He has gone to some freak vampires and is going to try to kill himself and, of course, _I _am the only one that can save his life, and, of course, _I _have the choice to ignore the whole issue and _that _is what I choose."

She nodded slowly and then here eyes went blank. I knew what was happening there- she was having a vision. Jacob looked at me strangely and I could feel his lovely unasked question hovering in the air. I stood up on my toes and craned my neck to his head but still couldn't reach him. He bent his knees and crouched down as I cupped my hands against his ear.

"She's seeing the future."

His eyes popped open a little but he nodded stiffly, just now remembering that Edward wasn't the only vampire with abnormal skills in the Cullen family. Alice's eyes were far away, staring at the wall but not seeing it. By the horribly pained look on her face I could tell that the vision was about Edward. Suddenly, her eyes focused and darted around the room. Her expression was indescribably, horrified, hopeless, wounded.

"He…" she choked, her voice was dry and cracking, "He is in…" she swallowed hard, avoiding the obvious lump in her throat, "Volterra."

Jacob sniffed. "Good to know." He mumbled sarcastically, waiting a moment before speaking again. He looked sourly at Alice, "What are you still doing here?" he asked inexorably. Alice didn't move.

"Get out! Bella gave you your answer so what are you waiting for?"

Alive dropped her knees staring at the wood paneling. "Please." She whispered. "Please save him." There were tears in her voice but nothing came out of her eyes. "I'm begging you…I'm kneeling."

It took me a moment to answer her, recovering from the tone she used was not easy. The words I spoke came out unclear and unsure, "No…no I can't…I can't do it…"

The worn, abused door burst open for what seemed to be the thousandth time. It slammed into the wall. Rosalie was crouched in the doorway, Jasper hiding behind her commanding form. Her soaking beach blonde hair was swirling menacingly in the air like an untamed snake; small beads of rain flew off them only to be replaced again. Her eyes were black and the grave purple shadows under her eyes were startlingly pronounced. Her mascara was running down her cheeks making black streaks cross her face; her rain-dampened eyelashes were dull and ghastly. Her perfect eyebrows were pulled down making a deep, well-defined crease between her hateful eyes.

"How dare you." She growled, the mere power in her tone made me flinch back in fear. Jacob took a small step in front of me to slightly hide me from her view. Rosalie stepped in time with him, bringing her inside the house. Cracks of infuriated thunder could be heard outside and lighting flashed for a blinding second. The rain poured from the sky on an angle, the relentless wind forcing it to the side.

"How dare you deny Edward's life, how dare you reject his life after the countless times he's saved yours."

I spoke in a small, fearful voice. "Need I remind you," I took a step to the right behind Jacob to hide me further from her view. "That nearly every time I was in a life threatening situation, Edward was to blame for the event happening? Think about it."

She paused for a second and when she found only truth in my statement there was a flash of thought on her once-beautiful face as she tried to think of another reason to be mad.

"Even if that is the truth you cannot deny that he was the heart and soul of your life."

"Until he broke my heart."

She growled in frustration running her hand through her tangled mess of hair. Finally I saw resolve flicker on her face before she attacked. Her body flashed forward through the air and I cringed, preparing for her to hit me. I was not the only one surprised when I realized that she wasn't aiming for me. She directed her assault at my soul mate.

Jacob, who was eager to finally get a fight with the drama queen, leapt forward too. I wasn't sure if the crack I heard was a nearby lightning strike or just Jake and Rosalie's bodies colliding. Swiftly, Jasper stepped into the room and calmness and tranquility swept over the room like a wave of water washing away all harsh intentions. Everyone's flaming eyes cooled and I was abnormally relaxed.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help to you." I avowed truthfully, directing my sorrowful words to Alice.

"I'm sorry too, Bella. This is a dark day for the Cullen family but we will not force any decision upon you."

"Thank you." Jacob nodded gratefully and gave Alice a gentle push out the door, Jasper and Rosalie following her close behind. Alice looked back and gave me a heartbreaking wave and then disappeared into the blackness of the tempestuous night.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Things didn't feel quite right. Everything went back to what you could call normal. All potential danger was gone. Victoria had been killed, as well as Edward, and there wasn't much more that I could do. The past few months had been so crazy and dramatic that I had almost forgotten how peaceful 'normal' was.

But there was one thing about normal that I didn't particularly enjoy. It was boring. Time passed very slowly with there being nothing to fill it up with, and I was tired most of the time. I felt as if there was ever a time to be tired it wouldn't be now, it seemed more fitting that I would be tired when there were a lot of big things happening in my life. However, that seemed to be exactly what had been keeping myself up. I hadn't gotten a _real _good night's sleep in ages and now I just couldn't seem to get enough of it.

For many weeks there was nothing to report.

I did my share of patrolling the borders around the Quileute area and finally began to realize why my brothers enjoyed hunting vampires so much. My experience in school was over, seeing as I had nearly missed my entire senior year at Forks High School due to my becoming a werewolf and my uncontainable rage and quarantine from humanity. Now there was nothing- and as I said- nothing was very boring.

However, every wolf in the pack knew that the lapse of time between exiting events was never that long and finally, after nearly three months of tortuous normality, something happened. When it did all of us wished for normal to dawn on us again.

It was early December; beautiful white flakes of snow had been raining from the sky non-stop for at least four days creating a perfect, white blanket over the grass. The snow was about shin-deep for me, shorter for all of the taller boys who had gone through the usual growth-spurt before their werewolf transformations.

The Black's house, which I was now accustomed to calling 'home', was perfectly warm and toasty for Jacob and I, for Billy; however, it was much colder with all of the snow piled onto the roof. Two leaks had already sprung where the snow had melted to quickly; small droplets of water dripped one-by-one into a metal pail on the floor. Billy had scheduled Jacob to sweep all of the snow off the ceiling today.

Wearing nothing but cut-offs, Jacob opened the door and a wave of cold, swirling wind busted into the house. I caught the door before I closed and followed Jake out, wearing a tank top and Bermuda shorts, but he didn't seem to notice I was even there. When I saw the snow raining so gracefully down from the sky I felt nothing but the overwhelming urge to jump around and play in the snow like a little child. I thought about it for a moment and, eventually, decided against it after reminding myself that Jacob _did _have neighbors. They didn't live close next-door or anything, but they were still there.

The snow melted instantly wherever I touched it. At first I was a little disappointed, but I quickly realized something else. I picked up a handful of snow in my hand and gripped it firmly between both of my palms. Quickly forming it and squeezing it together, I pulled my hands away from my body and looked at my handy work.

A perfectly round snowball mostly made of ice- but not enough to hurt my target.

I glared at Jacob who was tiptoeing around on the roof with a huge broom, sweeping mountains of snow off the top of the house. His back was to me. He was still blissfully unaware of my presence- but not for long.

I hurled the ice ball from my hand and it hit Jacob square in the back. He tripped and stumbled off the roof landing face-first into a mound of snow that had been swept away. He was up immediately, three pre-made snowballs were heaved from him, two of them hitting me. I could hear the third whiz by my ear, narrowly missing my head.

"You missed." I scoffed, tightening my eyes in mock disapproval

"Naw," he chuckled pointing to something behind me, "I hit what I was aiming for."

I swiveled around to see Embry Call running to us, the snowball hadn't broken his stride, the impact point obvious on his bare chest. He looked terrified yet exited. From the look on his face Jake and I both were expecting an epic snowball fight that was more extreme than the work of simple children. That wasn't what we got.

"Watch this," Jacob called slyly to me, preparing to throw another snowball.

Embry threw his hands in the air, instantly signaling a truce. Jake pouted, but didn't throw his ammo. "What's wrong?" he whined to Embry who had finally made it up to us. He panted and placed one arm on my shoulder for support, he had clearly come a long way.

"Vampire." He wheezed, "On our land…vampire."

Jacob jolted up as if he had been stabbed with an electrical blade- his expression was confusing. Serious…at first… then confused… then exited.

"Really?" he asked, a smile in his voice. He then raised both his arms to the cloudy sky and stared at the snow. "At last!" he yelled. "Things have been _so _boring around here!" He brought his hands back down and cracked his knuckled loudly.

"Yea…" I replied, a little less enthusiastically, almost scared but not quite.

"We have to go _now._" Embry shouted, already on the move back where he came from.

"See you in just a few, babe." Jacob smiled widely, pecking my lips with his and then running away into the woods on the left. I began to vault over to the right woods and when I was deep enough in, stripped and morphed.

_So where is it?_ I asked critically to no one in particular, knowing that someone would answer.

It turned out to be Sam who did, _It's a female, _he announced, _she's just sitting on a rock on First Beach, may be a new Cullen or something, I'm sure she saw me and _knew _I was a wolf, yet she didn't attack. It's almost as if she's waiting for someone. I suppose we'll find out soon enough._

_Description? _Jake asked quickly, stretching out his limbs

_She has really pronounced red eyes, which is why I didn't think she was a Cullen at first, and blonde hair that's pulled up. Really young too. Like a little girl._

I blinked a few times, whoever it was; it was defiantly not a Cullen. (_You can never be sure; maybe those stupid bloodsuckers decided to go all demented on us. _Paul chimed in, itching for a war.)

Within moments we were at first beach. There seemed to be a small little girl sitting on one of the boulders with her arms wrapped around her legs. She was staring at some unseen thing in the frozen ocean. The moment we revealed ourselves to sight she sighed and got up, looking directly into my eyes.

Her eyes were an extremely prominent scarlet color, but everything else about her, besides the unearthly beauty, gave her the appearance of an innocent child. She blinked harmlessly and three wolves collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain- Leah, Seth and Collin.

Paul leapt forward, deafening growls tearing from his throat, only to fall to the ground along with Jared, Embry and Quil. My quivering eyes darted around in panic, trying to restrain myself from making the same mistake Paul did. Sam's ear twitched, just the slightest little movement, and he and Jacob crumpled into the snow.

Only I was left standing.

"Bella." The little girl smiled at me as if nothing had happened. "You must come with me. My new master wishes for you and he doesn't want to be kept waiting any longer. He says that you were supposed to come to him long ago and you did not. He says that he's been waiting three months for you. You have two choices." She held up two of her little child-like fingers, but her eyes showed more than a child-like knowledge. "You can come the easy way or the hard way, but either way, Edward wants you _now._"


	22. Chapter 22

My head was spinning around at a sickeningly fast pace, filled to the brim with the deafening sounds of my family's screams of pain. One thing was certain, whoever that little girl was, she was much more dangerous than she looked.

There were so many unanswered questions in my life. Why and how I had morphed into a werewolf? How come, at random times, I couldn't morph or morph back? Who was this girl? How did she know Edward? How was Edward still alive? But what I really wanted to know right now was why I was suddenly immune to the powers of all vampires. Was it just Edward, or could any vampire use their gifts against me?

Would that girl do to me what she was doing to everyone else?

As if she had heard my thoughts (and I was honestly wondering if she had) she waved her hand, a bored expression beginning to dawn on her face, "Go, now, and faze back to your human form. If you do not, I will kill all of them," She motioned nonchalantly to the pack, "One by one. Then I will track you down and you _will _suffer their fate too."

I could barely hear her over the incessant screams echoing in my head. By the omniscient knowledge in the girl's eyes, I could tell she knew this but continued her threat in spite of it.

"Be back in twenty minutes." Her eyes flickered away from the pack for the first time and all the screams immediately ceased, the writhing bodies of my family around me went still and silence captured the frozen beach. The girl stared at me with disdainful eyes and I braced myself for pain that didn't come.

"Or else."

I was petrified to the spot. Ice captured my swelling heart and rooted my legs to the ground. Sam, lying on his side and panting heavily, stared at me and thought with as much urgency as he could muster,

_Bella, run!_

I took off. The beach disappeared behind me and all I concentrated on was what was in front of me. The trees flew by with lighting fast speed. I was at the spot where I had left my clothes in no more than two minutes.

Only eighteen left.

It took me longer than usual to morph back, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to morph back at all, stress seemed to have taken over my body. Sweat glistened thickly on my upper lip as I slipped into my clothes. I knew my time, and the time of the whole pack was ticking away with every passing second.

I didn't want to take the time necessary to warp up my car so I began to take off back to the beach on foot. I took rapid, shallow breaths, running as fast as my two legs could take me. My stride was longer than an average human's but even so, I didn't expect to arrive back at the beach for at least ten minutes.  
I wasted no time thinking idle thoughts of what might be, I only thought about what was happening now. I didn't care about what would happen to a small, helpless weakling like myself. As usual, I was only concerned about my family and my Jacob. _My _Jacob. That evil little girl could not have him; I would go to whatever lengths necessary to protect him. I had never been quite as strong as the other wolves but I thought that I would probably be able to fight off that vampire if it was essential.

I would save Jacob, or die trying.

I arrived at First Beach much before my twenty minutes had been surpassed. One shaky step after the other, my feet crunched on the wet rocks over to the seemingly innocent, blonde girl.

My voice shook terribly, I could barely understand myself, but she seemed to understand when I asked,

"Who are you?"

The words were distorted, afraid as if I really didn't want to know the answer. About fifteen feet away from her, I hesitated, took one more step and stopped.

She spoke regally, with a royal air in her tone. "I am Jane, one of the Volturi, and it was my mission to come to La Push and retrieve you for my master."

"Your master is…is Edward?" I asked tentatively, recalling bits of our previous conversation. She nodded curtly.

"And this," she continued, clearly provoked by my interruption, "is Alec." She waved her hand gracefully over to a second vampire that I hadn't noticed before then. His eyes narrowed at me, they, like Jane's, were an extremely distinct shade of crimson. It was as if blood was trapped in his eyes.

"Please," he also spoke majestically, "come quietly, Edward has become extremely impatient and does not wish to wait any longer."

Again, I felt an immobile sensation run through my body. I couldn't move. I felt as if I took one breath she would attack. My fingers were still and rigid; my eyes locked onto Alec's, my breaths did not come. I saw a streak of red and suddenly Alec stood right next to me on my left side, his nose placed at my neck. He took one long breath and sighed it out pleasurably.

His voice was suddenly rough, his lips at my ear, "You smell absolutely wonderful, even as a filthy little wolf. I am sure that your blood would taste absolutely delightful…"

It was not the first time I had been told that.

Abruptly, Jane was at my right side, staring disapprovingly at Alec. I clamped my hand to my mouth to keep from screaming in fright, breaking my motionless spell. "Alec, you know that we have to bring her back to master _alive_. Otherwise, she would already be dead." She whispered loud enough for me to hear.

Alec sighed in displeasure and took a step back. "What a waste, I would love to taste her." He shook his head sadly. "Well let us get on with it then."

I spoke hoarsely, "Get on with what?" Fear began to choke me.

"Do not worry." Jane smiled alluringly, "_We_ will not hurt you." She paused for a split second in thought, "Well…yes we will, but you will not feel it." She promised, her smile flickering back onto her childish face.

"How is that possible?" I whispered, my eyes growing wide.

"Just like this." Alec smiled dangerously, showing his teeth. Then everything went black.

Total blackness. I was still alive, and I was still awake but I couldn't see or hear or even smell anything. I couldn't feel the ground under my feet. That made me want to trip but there was nothing to trip _on_. I assumed that it was Alec's gift because there was nothing else that could make me lose all of my senses like this.

It was the strangest sensation…and suddenly I felt something on the back of my neck. I felt as if it should hurt but…I didn't feel any pain. I was only faintly aware of the fact that someone had touched me but once they did my thoughts cut off and I passed out.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

I woke slowly and in a daze. The ground was cold and stony, the room was dark, I sat up leisurely and rubbed the side of my head I had been sleeping on. I picked a bit of sleep out of my eyes and then focused my sight on exactly where I was. My abnormally relaxed bones immediately stiffened. I scanned the room, moving my head in quick jerking movements, my hair slapping the sides of my face.

"Where am I?"

I felt stupid saying the words, I couldn't see anyone in the room and I had never really been one to talk to myself but I knew that Jane and Alec were probably close enough to hear me. I waited for a moment expecting an answer sooner than later.

"You," a blood chilling voice called out from the opposite side of the circular room I laid in, "are in Volterra, my dear."

At first I expected Edward to be the one talking but I didn't have the faintest idea on who was speaking to me. I hopped to my feet and spun around to face three men sitting in chairs that were so majestic I almost mistook them for thrones.

"Who are you?"

My voice was weary as I asked the question that I really didn't want to know that answer to. I wasn't sure if it was cold in the room or if it was just fear, but my body rocked with a rough shiver.

The three men chuckled. "I," the man in the middle throne said, "am Aro. These," he gestured to the two majestically dressed men beside him, "are Caius and Marcus." I faintly recognized the men, thinking back on my life I remembered seeing the perfect faces on the wall in Carlisle's office.

"You are the…Volturi?" I asked in a small voice.

The last man, Marcus, answered, "Yes. You recognize us?"

"Yeah, I think I remember seeing a painting of you guys on the wall in Carlisle's house…" The words came out unsure, almost a question.

"Oh! Old Carlisle! I haven't seen him in ages!" Aro exclaimed. "Will you mention to him I said hello?"

Caius tapped Aro's arm lightly, whispering words I wouldn't have heard as a human. "Aro, you know that you shouldn't give her a false sense of security. By the mood Edward was in this morning I can almost say for sure that she won't ever make it back to her humble home."

"We mustn't be so sure Caius, maybe he will take pity on the girl he once loved."

"But you must remember why he even joined us! For revenge upon her and her new love…"

"We shall see."

Aro stood, his robes flowing, sending a fresh, strong scent of vampire over to my side of the room.

The scent hit me like a blow to the gut. My eyes widened and I gasped, trying not to breathe. My hands began to tremble with the urge to faze and protect myself. I remembered, however, what Edward and Alice had said against the Volturi. They were too dangerous. I had to keep my cool.

"I would not suggest doing that here." Marcus announced.

"Oh yes!" Aro cried out, "I was quite surprised when Edward mentioned that the werewolves had returned to us. I thought that they had been wiped out but…apparently not. I would much enjoy seeing one again…but us two being mortal enemies that would probably not be a smart idea."

I tried to suppress a tremor that ran through my spine but I was sure that they noticed. Caius was beginning to look uncomfortable.

"So," I whispered, pulling a strand of hair out of my face, "where is he?"

"He?" Aro murmured, "Ah! You must mean Edward. He right outside those doors."

My eyes bulged. How long had he been standing there? I rotated my head over my shoulder to look at two, grand gold doors.

"Please come in Edward."

I froze. After more than three months, I was seeing Edward again. Edward.

The doors opened slowly and gracefully, Edward strolled into the room.

I had almost forgotten how beautiful he was, but he looked different. His face was hardened, his expression no longer gentle and his eyes…they were just as red as the other's.

He sauntered past me to a throne that was in the middle and much higher than Aro, Marcus and Caius's.

"Isabella Marie Swan." I shivered at the use of my full name, "It has been much to long for my liking."

I took one step back. "What do you want with me?" I whispered.

"I want my revenge." He growled, "I want you to experience the same pain I did. I will not kill you…yet. First you must suffer."

This was not the Edward I remembered. He was not mellow or compassionate. The hate that was emerging from him was fierce, overpowering, uncontrollable…

"Bring him in." he called to someone outside the golden doors.

There were three people, the two on the sides had a hold on the one in the middle's arms, dragging him into the room. Once they were out of the hallway I recognized them all immediately. Alec and Jane stepped into the room hauling Jacob.

His eyes were closed, still unconscious I assumed, his arms were chained behind his back and his ankles and knees were also bound. The two vampires pulled him right between Marcus, Caius, Aro and myself.

"Shall we wake him now?" Marcus asked, seeming uninterested.

"Yes." Edward rumbled mercilessly.

"How?" Caius insisted, seeming much more engrossed than Marcus.

Edward thought for a moment, then said, "Let Jane do it."

I couldn't contain my gasp of terror. Edward's gaze shifted from Jacob to me. He looked at me expectantly, as if he were waiting for me to say something.

"Please!" I begged, speaking quickly and urgently. "Please don't hurt him! Hurt me instead!"

Aro raised his eyebrows questioningly at Edward, as if to say, _will you?_ Edward shook his head 'no', a sickly smile curving up onto his face. "I told you," he spoke to Aro but intended me to hear it, "I want her to suffer what I suffered."

"Don't worry, Isabella." Edward directed his words at me now, "we _will _hurt you, but we want you to watch us hurt _Jacob _first." He promised.

"Jane, please continue." Edward demanded.

"Yes, master." She giggled, focusing her gaze on Jacob. It was silent for one, torturous second then Jacob's eyes opened. He just groaned at first, then his mouth opened wider, a flurry of yells. I saw Jane's eyes narrow and Jacob's yells grew louder.

"STOP IT!" I screamed shaking my head and running to Jacob, collapsing beside him. I threw my arms around him screaming, "PLEASE!"

Jane seemed to concentrate even harder and Jacob screamed, his chained arms and legs flailing and his back arching.

"Jane!" Aro commanded, "The boy is awake." Jake went still, gasping for breath as Jane's gaze went elsewhere.

"Alec," Edward nodded to him, "would you please have Isabella stand back?"

Alec nodded in return, running over to me and ripping me away from Jacob, pushing me away and holding my shoulder with an iron tight grip. Edward began to descend from his perch.

He strolled over Jacob, grabbing him by the hair and hoisting him up to his eye level, Jacob took a sharp breath in, his arms beginning to shake. "It's no use, Jacob, if you faze then we'll just kill you faster."

Jacob's arms slowly became still. Suddenly, Edward dropped him to the ground and straightened his robes, there was one quick streak and he was back on his throne. Then, one of the golden doors opened and a young, human girl poked her head into the room.

"Sorry to interrupt, but there is a tourist group ready to see you."

"Thank you, Gianna," Edward spoke, "send them in." he waved his hand aside.

"Jane, Alec," he addressed, "Take them to their cells."

Alec moved his grip on my shoulder to my arm as he led me out of the room and past a group of humans. He put his freezing hand over my eyes.

"I do not want you to see where anything is incase you decide you wish to escape." He murmured in my ear, then he roughly lifted me into his arms, I felt a rush of wind against my face and we stopped. He lifted his hand away.

"Here you are, wolf, we'll feed you later. Don't worry, your boyfriend is right behind us."

Sure enough, Jane hauled Jake into the room seconds later and, surprisingly, threw us into the same prison cell. Alec chained together my arms and then my ankles and legs. Shutting the door, he whispered,

"Goodnight."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

It was pitch black in the prison cell. I couldn't see the door, I couldn't see the walls and I couldn't see Jacob. I wriggled my body around the cell for a little bit until I brushed up against Jacob's warm arm.

"Oh Jacob!" I sobbed, squirming closer to him. Teardrops fell from my eyes with amazing velocity as I asked, "Are you ok?" I had to say the words around furious sobs of terror. I pulled my chained wrists over his head and hugged him awkwardly, but tightly, to me, as if I let go he would disappear.

Jacob grunted in pain, "Too tight Bells." Me moaned.

"S-sorry." I sniffled, loosening my grip on him but not letting go. "So _are _you ok?"

He hesitated a moment before answering, "Do you want me to tell you the truth or one of those little white lies that makes you feel better?"

I was astonished that he could still be joking around after what he had just gone through. "The truth." I grumbled, not wanting to play any more games.

Jacob sighed in deeply, "Bells I feel just awful. That Jane girl…" he trailed off not wanting to finish his sentence but I knew what he meant.

I nodded for him to continue. "Every part of me hurts, I just want to go to sleep but I _can't. _I know it's…not like me but…I'm really scared." I could feel him shiver. "I don't want to die, Bella." His voice broke.

"I don't want _you _to die," he whispered quietly, as if he were almost embarrassed about it.

There was a moment of silence before I spoke. "I'm scared too Jake, I'll do my best to save you from…from Edward." His name tasted like vinegar coming out.

"No." Jacob growled, his voice suddenly stronger. "You will not be associating with that b-" he paused and I could feel his eyes on me. "that jerk."

I sighed, tired, "Nice save."

He chuckled a little bit, "Thanks, but anyway, I think I know what we _could _do. I'll morph and break your chains and the bars on the door, then create a diversion while you escape as far away as you possibly can."

Now it was my turn to object, "No way, Jake!" There are to many of them! You'll get killed!"

I just barely heard him whisper, "Better me than you."

"If you faze…couldn't you…call for the pack, or something? They could help us!"

"Bells, this isn't LaPush. They're in Washington right now and we're in Italy. They'd never be able to get here in time."

My head was beginning to get overwhelmed. "You're right…" I admitted. I sighed again, there was another moment of dark silence before I spoke again.

My voice was barely a whisper, "Jake?" I asked miserably

"Yeah?" his voice was gruff and depressed, hopeless…

"They're gunna kill us. Both of us will die…won't we?"

His voice got more severe again as he said, "Bella, no matter what happens to me- you are going to live through this. Do you understand?"

Despondent tears began to run down my cheeks once more, "No, Jake, no!" I can't live without you! I won't!"

"Bella!" his voice commanding, " you will promise me, _promise me_, that no matter what happens to me you will not die!"

I bawled harder, turning my head away from him, "I can't! I…just can't!"

"Oh yes you can! Promise me!"

I shook my head from side to side, flinging tears onto Jacob. When he felt them his voice became much softer, "Bells, if our positions were flipped, would you want the same for me?"

I thought about it. He was right. If it were I in his place, I would want to make sure that he lived no matter what.

I choked on the words as they came out, "I…I will. I promise you."

"Thank you." He murmured, kissing my forehead, I could feel the some of the tension lifting from the mood.

There was a long awkward silence, broken by the sound of footsteps. There was three- two smelled of vampire one smelled human. Slowly the wooden door to the prison opened, a flood of blinding light spilling into the cells. I squinted my eyes, unable to open them.

"The masters will see you now." I recognized the voice of the receptionist woman, Gianna. My eyes were still closed, but I could hear the sound of jingling keys and a creaking metal door.

"Come." Gianna ordered, her tone still light.

Jacob spoke before I could. "We can't. You freaks chained together our arms and legs!" I could hear quick footsteps tapping into the chamber followed by the sound of flesh hitting flesh. I opened my eyes a small sliver to see Jake rubbing his jaw where Alec had punched him.

"I would not disrespect us if I were you." Alec's voice stated plainly.

Jake grunted, falling to his side. "Good thing you're not Me." he groaned. I watched, helplessly, as Alec's foot pummeled Jacob at an extremely high-velocity speed, it came in contact with him right in the gut. He gasped in pain, the wind knocked out of him. I hissed in fear.

Slowly, Jacob found his breath again. "I warned him." Alec said simply, replying to my hiss. People who do not listen toe the Volturi are punished, that is a lesson that your friend will be learning the hard way."

Jacob opened his mouth to make a sharp retort; quickly I shoved my arm to his moth, stopping him.

"Can we please hurry this up?" Jane asked impatiently. "Edward want to see them _now._"

"Fine, fine." Alec pouted. I'll take the girl and you get the…" he sniffed in Jacob's direction, "filth." I heard Jacob growl menacingly, everyone seemed to ignore him.

Alec swept me off my feet and into his arms; if I had not known that he was the bad guy it would have been extremely awkward. I could hear Jane dragging Jacob along behind us. Again, Alec covered up my eyes as we ran back to the circular room.

When he removed his had I saw everything almost exactly how we had left it. Edward was sitting on his throne, his eyes even redder than before. Aro, Caius and Marcus were also in their proper spots. A few moments after I arrived, Jane trailed into the room, Jacob being towed from behind. She dropped him in the middle of the room, the same place where he had been before.

Edward took one look and me and laughed. I was human enough to be self-conscious and asked, "W-what?"

"Your eyes." He chuckled. I raised a hand to my eyes- they were wet.

"What?" I asked again.

"They are red and swollen." He laughed again, but I couldn't find the humor in it. "You have been crying, Isabella." It wasn't a question.

"You are so pitiful. Your little scum bag is not even dead yet!"

I couldn't suppress a shiver at the word _yet_. Edward chortled.

"Anyway, before I kill it, how about I tell you a little story?"

I didn't move one inch.

"Alright then," he smiled.

"So, as you know, I came to Volterra with the intent of death, but when I asked Aro to do the deed for me he refused, saying it was a waste. My power fascinated him; he didn't want to destroy it. You see, Aro also has a special power, if he touches you he can read every thought you've ever had. He knew the jealousy that I was attempting to restrain and offered me a spot on the Volturi saying that with the power of being one of them I could have my revenge. I planned to kill you once you came after me.

"You never did, which gave me time to think of a better plan. I decided to make you suffer what I had suffered before I killed you. So I waited three months for you to show yourself…_three months!_ Eventually I grew tired of waiting and sent the two best people on my offense out to separate you from your pack and seize you and your boyfriend.

"Now that I have you both, I will humiliate him and give him a slow and painful death, making you watch the whole thing. By the time I'm be finished with your mate, you will practically be begging me to kill you and right when I think you have suffered enough, I will grant your death wish. Then my revenge will be complete!"

Before he was finished with his plot, I was on my knees. My hands covered my eyes, my tears splashed to the stone cold floor. I could hear Edward descending from his throne, his footsteps came over to me and he placed one freezing hand on my shoulder.

"Shall we gag her, master?" Jane asked, excitedly.

"No." Edward replied. I could hear the smile in his voice. "I want to hear her screams."

That made my cry harder, I had to bite my bottom lip to hold back sobs of terror and grief. Edward's footsteps faded from me as he walked over to Jacob. I looked at him, his hands were tied behind his shirtless torso, his face was glazed with sweat and he was panting heavily. His knees propped him up. His legs and ankles, like mine, were tied. He breathed heavily, and through his mouth. I imagined myself to look quite similar to him.

Hate swirled visibly in his eyes as he fought the urge to morph. "What are you going to do." He growled through clenched teeth.

Edward stood stationary for a moment, pondering. "Did you like Jane? I thought Isabella's face was priceless when I had her use her gift on you.

"I won't make a sound." Jake promised Edward, his biceps flexing. "I'll hold you to it, but trust me Jacob- I'm sure you will."

"Conditions?" Jake asked, heated for a challenge.

"Jane will go at you for…three minutes. From the second you make a noise, Bella will have to take the rest of the time." Jake flexed again.

"And if I win?" he asked, his teeth still clasped.

"Then…I'll give you five free minutes with her." Edward nodded in my direction.

I stared, terrified, from one man to the other. Jacob was really putting himself out there and dragging me with him. It was idiotic. I wasn't sure if he had the self-control.

"You ready?" Edward asked, grinning.

"You bet." Jake growled.

"Alright Jane, do your stuff." Jane smiled at Edward, and then shifted her gaze to Jake. Immediately I saw every muscle in his body go rigid. His face began to go red and shake. His shade went from tan to red, from red to scarlet, from scarlet back to tan, and form tan to white. I saw his teeth clench and re-clench. His tied arms began to flail. His body squirmed and writhed on the floor.

Jane, upset, glared at him harder. Jacob began to shake even harder, he looked about to faze but I knew that that wasn't it. Suddenly Jane gnashed her teeth at him and Jacob let out a tortured scream of pain that bounced around the whole room, cutting off in a gurgled sob.

Jake panted heavily as he rasped, "How…long?"

Edward looked upon him begrudgingly, "Three minutes and twenty-seven seconds." Jake's eyes rolled back into his head for a moment, then resurfaced.

"Five minutes." Edward snarled, unlocking the chains on Jake's legs and ankles.

Immediately he ran up to me and spun me in a hug. "We don't have much time to talk so lets not worry about anything in the past. What we need to focus on is the present and the future." He said the words quickly, trying to make the most out of his limited time.

"First of al I need you to know that I love you so much and I never ever want anything to happen to you. Will you do whatever I ask?" he questioned quickly and urgently.

"Yes," was my automatic response.

"If I say do not faze you will faze."

"Yes."

"If I say run you will run."

"Yes."

"If I say go and leave me behind will you do it?"

"Jacob!"

"Promise me, Bells!"

"But Jacob, I-"

"Promise!"

"Ok."

"Alright, Bella what I need you to do is when I say 'now' you need to make a break for the gold doors. Do you understand?"

"Yes, but-"

"I am going to faze and distract them and I want you to run as fast as you possibly can, got it?"

"Uh-huh, but Jake-"

"Once you are out of the border of the town I need you to faze and run to the airport. Take this money," he pressed a large wad of twenty-dollar bills into my hand, "Buy a plane ticket. Tell the pack what happened to me and _never come back here._ _**Do you understand?**_"

I nodded reluctantly, a loud sob of pain moaned from my chest.

"Jake?" I blubbered.

"Yes?"

"I love you so much!" I stood up on my toes, my lips searching for his. My mouth moved against his furiously, urgently. It didn't feel right, the way my lips were crushed up against him, but I knew what this kiss was. This kiss was a goodbye.

_Goodbye forever._


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"NOW!" Jacob roared, pushing me away from him. I sped off to the golden doors, throwing them open and running through the low hallway.

Distantly, I could hear the sound of growls and a whimpering dog. It seemed natural for me to cry but the tears wouldn't come. I could hear an outbreak of loud crashes followed by Jacob yelping. Fear and anger captured me, and once I realized that I had no idea where to go, thanks to Alec, frustration also filled me up.

I made it into the lobby, where Gianna sat behind a polished wooden desk. Desperately, I threw my hand around her neck and lifted her feet off the ground.

"How do I get out of here?" I snarled, inches from her face. The poor woman looked at me, horror in her eyes. She pointed to an elevator.

"Take it," she rasped, "Follow the hallway on the other side, and jump out of a hole in the ceiling." I dropped her on the ground; she began to cough, rubbing her neck as I fled to the elevator doors. I could hear urgent footsteps coming near the hallway- Edward had sent some of them after me.

The doors closed right before the vampires came into view. I sighed in relief. The elevator ride was no more than a few seconds long, but it seemed like a lifetime. Once the doors opened, I raced down the hallway looking for an opening in the ceiling. It was difficult to see in the near pitch-black lighting, but I knew that, unless it was nighttime, I would be able to see the sun coming out of the opening.

I heard the _ding _of the elevator door behind me; I ran faster desperately wishing that they wouldn't catch me.

Then I saw it. The opening. I ran as fast as my legs would take me, leaping into the air. I was almost out when something caught my foot. I looked down to see Jane, closely followed by Alec, grabbing my ankle. She yanked me down like a balloon on a string.

I was about to try and jump again when my whole body froze for one second. Once it was over, I felt as if I were on fire. My legs, my arms, my face…I was burning. Suddenly the fire grew more extreme and I screamed out in terror and pain. Falling back to the floor, I curled up into a ball, my back arching under the flames. The fire grew hotter again; it was as if I had placed my hand on a burning stove. My first reaction was to quickly draw my hand away- but I couldn't. I was trapped.

Then everything went black. The fire was doused- no, more than that; it was as if the fire had never been there. All my senses were terminated. I had no impression that time was passing. I couldn't feel, couldn't hear, couldn't smell…

Abruptly, the blackness was gone, and a new kind of blackness replaced it. It wasn't a senseless black- just a darkness. It took me a moment to realize that I was back in the prison cell, my arms bound in front of me, and my ankles and legs also re-bound.

"Jake?" I croaked in a whisper. There was no answer; I could barely hear myself say his name so I doubted that he could. Like a kitten looking for her mother's milk, I nuzzled around in the darkness searching for Jacob. After a moment of hunting, I brushed up against something warm and sticky.

"Jacob?" I rasped.

"Bella?" He murmured, shifting a little bit.

"Yeah," I replied, snuggling closer next to him. He winced.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sorrowfully.

"S'nothing. But, _you_ were supposed to get away." He grouched.

"J-Jane got to me before I could…" I whispered, pulling my now sticky face away from the skin of his shoulder. Wondering, I lifted my bound hands to my face to feel what was on it. When I smelled my hands, my nose was overwhelmed with the smell of blood.

"What did they do to you, Jake?" the corners of my mouth twitching in worry.

"Edward," he gulped, "he…well he hurt…me." I could tell that he didn't want to talk about it. "Where are you hurting?" I asked, a protective feeling spreading about me.

"My shoulder and my…my side…" I burrowed my head into my knees, "and my left…leg."

"The plan didn't work so well, huh." I stated the obvious. Jacob looked about to make a sharp retort, but held his tongue. I, however, wanted to continue the conversation. "So…" I persisted, "When you fazed…did you tell anyone where we were?" I asked.

"No." his voice was flat, "No one was there." I could tell he didn't want to talk about our failed attempt to escape. Suddenly, a thought came to my mind.

"Jake…" I murmured awkwardly.

"Yeah."

"What are you wearing?" I scooted slightly away from him, thinking I knew the answer.

"A robe, Aro's robe." I gave a small sigh of relief and pressed myself back up next to him, he flinched slightly away.

"Are you going to be ok?" I worried.

"We're wolves, Bells," he replied simply, "We heal fast."

"Right." It was completely quiet for a few moments.

"Bella, there's something you need to know." Jacob murmured. His words were shaky but sure, a sign that he had planned out what he was going to say already. I could feel him raise his hands in the air when he said, "Now, I don't want to sound pessimistic or anything but…"

"But what, Jake?" his tone was worrying me.

"There is a really good chance… that neither of us are going to make it out of here alive." I opened my mouth to object but he continued before I could say anything.

"These vampires…they're not like the ones that we've chased off our land before. Actually, compared to what we're facing now, Victoria would seem like a cinch. There's nothing we can do about it Bells…we're outnumbered. If it was just one of them maybe we could make it but…there are so many…and we…we can't…" I could hear tears in his voice. "I need," he sniffed, "I need you to know that no matter what happens to us…I will always love you…forever."

That made me cry. I nuzzled my tear stained face into his bloody shoulder, the tears falling freely now, I had no reason to hold them back. All of the times I had thought about death…all the times I wished I would die…I had never wanted this. I didn't want to die like this. I would do anything possible in my power to keep Jacob alive.

I could beg, plead, pray…but I knew that it wouldn't make a difference. My attempts would only amuse Edward. He would still kill Jacob and he would still kill me. After a little while my sobs died down as I began to accept the truth for what it was.

My body shook with irrepressible sadness. "Shh, Bella, shh. It's all going to be ok." Jacob lied. "No it's not." I whispered, "You said so yourself! We're both going to die. Edward will _torture _you, Jake!" I blubbered hysterically. I could feel bile rising in my throat, but I forced it down.

Without warning, the wooden door to the prison creaked open, revealing Alec, carrying a pitcher of water and two silver plates with ground meat on them.

"Are the puppies hungry?" he mock cooed, setting the plates and water on the ground. Involuntarily, my stomach growled. Alec laughed.

"Eat up, I'll be back for your plates later. Also, I bring a message from Edward. He says if you continue to misbehave, he'll get on with your deaths faster."

Jacob and I just sat there, staring at him, waiting for him to leave. "Go on, eat up. I'm not leaving until you try some."

My stomach growled again, I tried to pick up the plate with my bound hands. Failing, I just bent my head over and ate the contents of the plate. Jacob still didn't move.

"Come on, mister, you need to eat. Bad dog!" he laughed at his own joke.

Jane then poked her head in the door and whispered, "Come _on, _Alec! We need to go! There has been a breach in security!"

"Ooh!" Alec smiled, rubbing his hands together, "I've just been itching for a proper fight! Who is it?"

"Some of them." Jane stabbed a finger in our direction. "They're here to save the day. There are nine of them- it shouldn't be _that _big of a problem…but we may lose a member or two." I was surprised about how calmly she could speak of the deaths of her comrades.

Alec sighed, "I was hoping for something a little more challenging," he sulked, walking out of the prison room and slamming the door behind him.

The pack.

The pack was here. In Volterra. All of them.

The bile in my throat rose again, but I couldn't keep it down. My face got hot, my cheeks were ashen and my throat was ablaze. I leaned myself over the side of the bed and let my stomach's contents go. I felt so sick. So terrified. It was like Victoria all over again.

But this time I wasn't worried for myself. I already knew and accepted my fate of death, why in the world did the pack have to come? The whole pack! Now it wouldn't be just Jake and me, everyone was going to die.

There were going to be eleven deaths today.


	26. Chapter 26

chapter 26

"What are we going to do?" I asked, helplessly. I was crying- I had been doing that a lot lately. It made me feel pitiful, maybe because that's what I was. Pitiful. I was sure I must look it; I pictured how I would appear right now. I saw the image in my mind as if I were looking straight into a mirror.

My hands, ankles and knees were bound in front of me, the tight chains cutting into my skin, blood tarnishing my clothes. My mascara was running down my cheeks from the constant crying, my eyes were red and swollen. My light blue shirt was stained, partly from tears, partly from vomit; I could feel the vomit marks crusted onto the sides of my mouth as well. Sweat stains yelled out the fact that I was nervous and scared. My cheek and hair, which must have been a mess, were matted with Jacob's blood.

I sighed. It was all there- I was disgraceful. "There's nothing we _can _do." Jacob replied hopelessly. There was a moment of silence before I spoke the question that I had been pondering on ever since we arrived in the cell.

"Jacob, am I really worth it?" My head was down; my hair covered my eyes.

"What do you mean?" He wondered, pretending as if he had not heard the question correctly.

"I mean, am I really worth all of this trouble that you, that _everyone_ has gone through just to keep me safe?"

"Bella, I would give my life for you any day. I don't want to live if I can't have you!" he answered fervently.

My eyes narrowed, "You're biased." I accused.

"Well then why did you ask me?"

I shrugged. We were both given another moment to think, the silence was interrupted, however, by the sound of howling. The pack had officially arrived. Jacob and I listened in silence. There was nothing to say.

Hearing a wolf yelp in pain, I nestled into Jacob's arm, afraid for my family. There was a lapse in time when I decided to lie down. I was tired, just about ready to fall asleep, Jacob still stood at attention.

"Wake me when it's our turn to die." I mumbled, pathetically, falling asleep the moment my eyes closed. I slept for what felt like three seconds when Jacob shook me awake.

"Bella!" He gasped, smiling ear to ear. "Look who's here!" I groggily raised my head to look at a tall figure in the doorway, the lock on our cell door was busted and the door had swung open. As my eyes focused I recognized Embry immediately.

"_Big brother!" _I squeaked, running up to him. He caught me and lifted my feet off the ground in a gigantic bear hug. "Bella!" he gasped, then pulled me away from him so he could get a better look at me.

"God, Bella! You look like Medusa! What happened to your face…and your shirt?" he teased, behind his humor I could hear a bit of seriousness.

"Bella got sick." Jacob chimed in. Embry took a step back. I fake punched him on the shoulder, "I'm ok _now!" _I pouted.

Embry's face was completely serious. "Really? You look just…terrible! I'm sorry, but…really."

My face hardened, "I've been watching my ex-boyfriend literally _torture_ my new boyfriend multiple times and have been sitting in a prison cell in Italy all day. How do you expect me to look?"

Embry didn't answer; he was looking at Jacob- taking in his blood-drenched skin. His wounds were nearly gone but the evidence that they were there still remained. "Uh," Embry mumbled, snapping out of his trance. "I saw a lady's bathroom coming in…how about I show you to it." He gave me a hopeful smile.

I nodded. "But what about all of the vampires? Wouldn't they notice that we've escaped?"

"Aw, they're all outside fighting with the rest of the guys- it's pretty nasty so I came to get you two to help." I nodded again.

"Where's the bathroom?" It was just then that I realized that I was walking just fine; I looked down to see that all of my chains had been removed.

"Did _you_ get all the chains off?" I wondered, rubbing my raw, bloody wrists.

"Uh, no. I got Jake's off and he got yours." I nodded again. It was too hard to talk to Embry; there was too much tension in the mood. I wondered why I wasn't as tense as him and Jacob. Maybe it was because I was just so glad to see one of my favorite pack members, I didn't know.

I opened the door to the woman's restroom. It was extremely fancy and regal. I took a few steps inside the carpeted room when I realize that I wasn't being followed. I re-opened the door to find Jake and Embry, leaning up against the walls outside the bathroom. I grabbed both of their hands and dragged them in the room with me.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Embry protested, "This is the _girls _room! We can't be in here!" My eyes scanned the room, distressingly.

"I…I don't want to be alone." I mumbled, embarrassed. Something in my tone immediately convinced Embry that I was serious about this. I investigated the room further. There were ten, polished white stalls and eight chrome sinks. There were even showerheads on the opposite side of the stall's wall, I looked at them. On the side of each was a divider stocked with complementary shampoos and conditioners.

"I'm going to take a shower." I announced to the boys. Embry's eyes widened, Jacob's expression hadn't changed since we walked into the room.

"Do…do you want us to leave?" Embry gaped.

"No!" I insist, an edge of terror in my voice. "I don't want to be alone any more!" I yelped. Embry looked thoroughly disgusted. Before I turned on the shower I heard him whisper, _"Can't believe your girlfriend is _making _me be in the same room with her when she takes a shower."_

I stripped and stood under the wake of the water, letting it wash away all my cares and burdens for a few moments. When I came in I didn't plan on washing my hair or body- but I ended up doing both. I scratched off all of the make-up and vomit marks on my face then rinsed my hair out and turned off the water.

I got straight into my clothes, not caring how wet they became, and pulled my hair into a tight ponytail. Then I came out from behind the shower wall saying, "I feel a lot better now, thanks guys." Jake nodded and stretched his arm around my shoulders; Embry looked to Jake and sniggered. Same old immature Embry.

"What you need us to do?" Jacob asked, not fazed by Embry's childishness.

"Well, both of you need to morph and then…just join the fight outside, I guess."

"If the fight was outside wouldn't humans notice?" I asked, astonished.

"Yea. Edward doesn't care though…"

I nodded, climbing out of the hole in the ceiling. "So do we morph now?"

"Yup. Jake and I will go this way and you go that way, we'll meet back here." He motioned with his hands. "Kay." I said, taking off behind the building Embry had pointed too. I stripped out of my soaked clothes and focused on my heart again. I felt a shiver run down my spine but I didn't morph. I pressed again, but I still wouldn't change.

My upper lip glazed with sweat. _No! Not now! Why can't I faze _now_! We're in the middle of a war! C'mon…faze, faze, faze!_

I heard Jacob's quiet yelp for me. Frustrated, I forced myself back into my wet clothes and showed myself. Jacob was alone, Embry had already left, and he lifted his head, confused. I lowered my head in humiliation as I muttered, "I can't."

Jacob groaned. He looked at me deeply then looked at the building I had tired to faze behind. He pushed me to it with his paw as if saying _'stay'_.

"I'll wait here then." I whispered. Jacob nodded his furry head. He was just about to jump off when I yelled, "Jake wait!"

He came back and butted my shoulder with his head.

"If anything happens to you I swear to God…I'll…" Jacob interrupted me with a snort and began to walk away. I ran over to him and hugged is front leg; he looked down at me.

"Jake…" he looked at me with his dark chocolate eyes, as if to ask _'what?'_

"Don't die!" I sobbed into his fur. There I was, crying again, I felt pitiful. Jacob snorted again. "I'm serious!" I cried.

"Look at me!" I bawled hysterically. I looked up into his dark eyes once more. He looked honestly worried.

"I love you!" I whimpered, "I love you so much!" I felt Jacob's head nuzzle mine and he was gone. I plopped to the ground, sobbing.

Jacob was out there fighting vampires. Fighting Edward. Fighting for me.

I knew it; I just knew it- Jacob was not going to make it out of this alive.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

I couldn't think straight; the tortured sounds of my family's screams were driving me mad. I wrapped my arms tighter around my knees and winced as I heard another wolf yelp out. It was just terrible sitting there behind that building- unable to see what was happening, unable to tell who was winning, unable to help.

If anyone died, anyone at all, I would hold myself personally responsible. If anyone got hurt, I knew that I could have been there to support them…to stand in the way. The whole fight was my fault in the first place, if anyone should be suffering for it, it should have been me. None of them had to do this. None of them should be doing it- I didn't _want _them to.

I nestled my head between my knees, trying to breathe less feverishly. I knew it was no use. As long as my family was in danger, I was positive that I would never be able to calm down. I felt about to throw up again.

_Why couldn't Edward just leave them all alone? I wish that he would just come for me! Why can't he just kill me?_

I knew who it was before I heard his voice, the sound made my blood go ice cold. "Your wish has been granted." He whispered, his lips at my ear. I felt as if I should have screamed; usually that kind of thing would startle me- but not now. I had already gone through so much in these past few days that Edward couldn't scare me like that.

My bottom lip trembled as he pressed his nose to my neck and inhaled slowly, just as Alec had done in LaPush. He sighed out his breath gradually and pleasurably, then said, "You know, I have always wanted to know what your blood tasted like…" My facial expression didn't change; I hoped that he couldn't see through my nonchalant façade.

"And now," he continued, inhaling for or my scent, "I will finally know." My breathing picked up dramatically.

"You're going to kill me now?" I squeaked, almost hopefully.

"Yesss." He hissed like a snake.

I didn't know what to say or how to reply to him. I wasn't sure I wanted to die but I knew I didn't want to live like this any longer. Out of the corner of my eye I could see him stretch open his jaws. He pressed his open mouth to my neck, not yet biting in, making me wait, torturing me. Slowly, very slowly, I felt his teeth make an incision into my neck. I gasped in pain, my breath catching in my throat.

I heard another wolf yowl; this one was much closer than the others. I could feel Edward slowly draining the life out of me- I felt very frail and weak. My eyes fluttered and I began to topple over.

Suddenly I felt Edward's teeth rip to the sides of my throat, my moth stretched wide in a silent scream. I wasn't sure if I was delusional or not, but I could feel warm fur brush past me quickly and Edward was gone.

The snarl was piercing; I clapped my hands over my ears and lost all sense of balance- crumbling to the ground. The smell of coppery blood filled my nose; I struggled to look down and realized that my neck was heavily bleeding. I looked back up to see a russet wolf pin his paws down on Edward, letting out a huge, thunderous snarl in his face. Jacob was here. Fighting Edward. Edward, the most dangerous vampire I have ever known.

Edward flipped up, kicking Jacob away with both of his feet. Jacob landed on his four paws, skidding slightly to the side, he didn't charge again and neither did Edward. Both of them just stood there, I stared at Edward whose gaze was intensely fixed on Jacob. I understood that Edward was reading his mind when he spoke only half of a sentence in reply to something Jake had thought.

"Oh, will you now?" Edward ridiculed. "And just how do you plan to do that?"

There was a pause as Edward waited for Jacob to answer, I looked at him, his nose was wrinkled in a snarl and his lip was curled back exposing all of his gleaming teeth.

"You can't! You just don't have it in you." He scoffed.

Jacob let out a rumbling growl. "Stupid dog," Edward replied, "If you want it so much, how about I kill _you _first? Would you like that better?"

Jacob's face went almost blank, a flicker or fear flashing across it. "You're afraid of me aren't you?" Edward smiled wider, "Let's see how afraid you are after _this!" _At the word 'this' he sprang upon Jacob, pinning him to the ground.

"I'm gunna kill you, you foolish wolf, and when I'm done with you- I'm going to go back for your girlfriend!" After saying that, Jacob tried to break free of the pin. His failed attempt only made Edward hold him harder.

Edward, then, took a hold of the sides of Jacob's head. I saw his muscles flex as he began to rip Jake's head right off of his body. The auburn wolf let out a desperate howl of pain before his attacker was hindered.

With another deafening roar, a gigantic black wolf hurled himself at Edward, stopping him from killing Jake. Edward soared into the air, "Great, another playmate!" he cackled, landing back on his feet. Not even giving Sam time to think, Edward flew over to him and raised his arm. My eyes popped out of my head as I heard the deafening chorus of _cracks _when Edward's fist smashed into Sam's face.

The dark wolf crashed back to the ground, his breaths barely coming. I sighed in relief. Sam hadn't died. I dashed over to him, blood from my neck seeping into my clothes, and plopped to the ground next to his furry belly. Slowly I stroked his black fur, willing him to live. A raucous bellow of rage tore from Jacob's chest. I looked at him, his dark black claws extended, his teeth poised to kill, he wasn't Jacob anymore. He was a wild animal. A wild _infuriated _animal.

My eyes widened in fear as Jacob sprinted to Edward. He dived on top of him, roaring. He opened his mouth wide, and locked his teeth around Edward's neck and with one quick jerk; Edward's face shattered and fell to the ground.

It was done.

Edward was dead. At last.

Jacob didn't move an inch. "Jake?" I asked warily, "You ok? …Did he hurt you?" I waited for an answer, but it never came. I was about to get up and go over to him, but then he bounded away. My eyebrows knit together, I wasn't sure what was wrong.

I laid my head down on the ground, absentmindedly stroking Sam's front leg. I lay there for several minutes, the whole incident was burned into my head…and I was unable to free myself from the scenes that were playing themselves over and over.

Unexpectedly I felt a tap on my shoulder, I yelped and sat straight up only to look into the eyes of Jacob.

"Bella," he whispered, "you're safe." He curled his arm around my shoulder and smashed his lips to mine. Taken aback, it took me a second for my heart to catch up with my head. After a short moment I kissed him back, wrapping both my arms around his neck. It was heaven. It was bliss. It was perfect.

It was love.

Love. I loved him so much. I loved Jacob.

Fervently, I kissed him harder. Everything was over. Everything was better. Sadly, even werewolves need to breath. Jacob broke the kiss first; I looked into his face and was confused to see the bewildered expression that suddenly dawned on him.

"What's wrong?" I tilted my head to one side.

"Didn't Edward bite you?" I lifted one hand up to my neck, the once fatal wounds had ultimately sealed. I nodded my head yes.

"What about the venom?

I though hard for a moment, chewing on my bottom lip. There was no obvious explanation for why I wasn't on the ground writhing in pain like that last two times a vampire had bitten me.

"Maybe I'm lucky?" I guessed.

"I guess so," Jacob agreed, dismissing the problem. After a moment I finally realized that it was quiet. The distant sound of the war had faded away leaving only silence in its place. I spoke the first question that came to my mind.

"What happened to everyone?"

Jacob hesitated, trying not to stare at the nearly healed scar on my neck. How about I take you to a hotel or something?" he attempted to change the subject, "Out of this town of course." He added quickly.

I decided that it would just be easier to just play along with him. "Ok," I eyed him suspiciously, knowing that there was something that he was hiding from me. "But tell me this, is the war over?"

"Yeah, Bells, the war's over." He looked at me with sad, droopy eyes that I couldn't make sense of. IF the war was over, why did his eyes look so swollen and red, like he was about to cry?

"Jake, what's wrong with you?" I shook his shoulder gently.

"It was a _war, _Bella, a _war._" He shrugged off my hand; I stared into his face, hoping to uncover what he was leaving unsaid. "Wars are dangerous." He barely choked out, "Sometimes…" I could tell that he was having trouble speaking at this point, "Sometimes not everyone…they…I couldn't…" then he broke.

With a burst of intuition, I realized what he had meant. I felt as if I should have understood what he was poking at earlier but only _now_ did I know what he was trying to say. Maybe it was the simple fact that _he _had been ok that distracted me… I looked back up for Jacob but he wasn't there. My head drooped down to see him on his knees, shaking roughly from head to toe trying to suppress tears.

My body felt cold. I recapped his words inside of my head. _It was a war. Wars are dangerous. Sometimes not everyone…_ I filled in the rest of the words for myself.

Sometimes not everyone makes it out alive.

Someone has been killed.

"Who was killed? Who was it?" I crouched down next to him, surprised at how calmly I could speak of the death of my family.

"There…there were two." He sounded strangled.

My already cold body seemed to turn to ice. Again I asked, "Who?" this time in a whisper. I knew that the answer would drive me to what Jacob was right now- but I had to know. They were my family too.

"Leah…" he murmured. A deep shiver was sent down my spine. I had never been that attached to the only other girl in the wolf pack, but the death of anyone that you had to share minds with was defiantly a tragedy. "And…and…" Jacob attempted to finish his sentence.

I began to grow impatient, "And who, Jake, who else?" I begged. The words came out desperate and imploringly.

"Embry."

I felt as if the wind had been knocked out of me and I was forced to my knees, my forehead touched the gray concrete.

Embry.

Immature Embry.

Big brother.

I clenched my teeth together, stupid tears collecting at the corners of my eyes. Ever since I had morphed, I had always felt a brotherly attachment to Embry. Now he was gone. Forever.

I groaned in frustration when that familiar, sickly sweet scent curled around my head and forced its way up my nose. There was a vampire. Here.

I wanted to lift my head to whoever it was and yell, _could you please go away and come back later? I'm grieving here! _The mere stupidity of the sentence made me feel like a spoiled little child who has broken her favorite toy.

Reluctantly, I lifted up my head to face the vampire, but it wasn't just one. There were _three._ At first I expected Aro, Caius and Marcus, but when they came closer I could faintly make out the forms of Cullens.

The Cullens whose family member Jacob had just mauled. The Cullens whose eyes were a deathly black.


	28. Chapter 28

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, the overpowering smell of vampires causing my shoulders to shake. Jacob prowled in front of me, snarling, warning the Cullens not to come any closer. "Take one more step and get your heads ripped off." He growled dangerously.

Carlisle, Alice and Emmett stopped where they were. Carlisle warily raised his hands into the air. "Stop this, Jacob Black, we mean no harm." He called. Jake's eyes narrowed disbelievingly.

"That walking ice cube deserved what he got!" he backed into me, spreading out his arms protectively.

"We do not come here in revenge of Edward. It's true that we are disappointed about the way he turned out, but we will not defend those who hurt our loved ones." Carlisle spoke calmly and surely.

Jacob relaxed a little bit and let his arms drop, Carlisle nodding his thanks to him. "What do you want with us?" he asked, his voice was still defensive.

"We want to help all of you. It's the least that we can do for the pack." Alice bounced up to me, giving me a hug. I was a little taken aback- I hadn't seem her in almost four months and she still treated me like a part of the family.

"Help us how?" I wondered aloud.

Emmett looked at me with sad, knowing eyes, "Like Jacob said, it was a war…people are hurt."

I stared at them, wondering how much they had heard, Alice answered my unspoken question. "We're really sorry about Embry and Leah…" her voice was solemn and sincere.

I sighed, _thanks for reminding me._

"They were killed in battle, it's the most noble way anyone could die." I whispered, another tear falling down my cheek.

Carlisle's face went stony for a moment, I followed his gaze over to Sam. "Again, we're really sorry…we were only aware of Embry and Leah's deaths."

"Sam's not dead!" I snapped, "He's just hurt. He's a werewolf just like us- he'll heal." I realized that I was trying to convince myself more than I was trying to convince them. Carlisle looked at me gravely.

"I know that he heals fast…but, Bella, you should prepare yourself incase he doesn't make it through the night." I tried not to listen to him, but the words echoed in my head. I wouldn't accept it as truth no matter what.

I felt terrible. My cheeks were hot and steamy and I got the feeling that I was going to throw up again. I took a few deep breaths my face growing pale. I leaned forward, my body convulsing in useless heaves.

"Bella!" Jacob exclaimed, taking in my condition. "Are you feeling ok?" I had a feeling that I didn't really need to answer him. When he realized that I wasn't going to respond he turned to Carlisle.

"I think we should get her somewhere warmer." He placed the back of his hand up to my forehead. His eyes bulged; "Bella!" he gasped, putting his huge hands on either side of my face. "Your ice cold!" he twisted his head around to speak to Carlisle, "She nee_ds _to go somewhere warm!"

"Ok, carry her to our car and we can take her to a hotel." Jacob hesitated.

"What about Sam? We can't just leave him there!" Jacob vexed. Carlisle thought for a moment.

"Emmett, Alice, take Sam somewhere warm and try to get him to faze back to human. It will be so much easier to treat him if he's human."

Jacob then picked me up like a groom would his bride and followed Carlisle away. Heat radiated off of his chest, I curled in closer to him. The wind that was slapping my face wasn't helping with my body temperature.

Suddenly, we stopped. I heard the faint sound of a car door opening and then Jacob slid us both into the back seat of the Cullen's car. The tinted windows made the car a dark place- I almost wanted to fall asleep. I probably would have too had I not been so uncomfortable.

My cheek pressed up against the cold leather seats as I felt the car lurch forward. For the thousandth time, I thanked the Lord that Carlisle was a doctor. I couldn't tell how fast the car was going but at the rate in which we arrived at our destination, I could assume that it was over the legal speed limit.

Jacob and I waited in the running car while Carlisle ran inside to get a room key. He was back in a flash and handed the card to Jacob so he could park the car. He carried me through the fancy hotel hallways until we reached what must have been our room. Jake shifted me slightly so he could slide the room card into the slot then the door opened.

The room smelled like all hotel rooms do, my eyes drooped but I was still to cold to sleep. Jacob laid me down on one of the two beds and pulled the covers over me.

Seemingly out of nowhere, I tilted my head forward, coughing violently. "Bella?" I could barely hear Jake's worried voice over the sound of my own coughs. "Bella, you alright?"

I wanted to tell him that I was ok, but my ravenous coughing wouldn't let me catch the smallest breath. I wrapped my arms around my waste to prevent my insides from being torn apart. It was when I felt some kind of a rip in my stomach, not very painful but a tear all the same, I realized that this was not normal coughing; my body was attempting to expel something.

The door opened again, Carlisle walked inside. "What's wrong with her, doc?" Jacob yelled frantically. I could feel Carlisle's eyes on me. "I don't know…did she have anything to eat in the past twenty-four hours?" Jake thought for a moment.

"Yeah…she ate this funny prison food Alec…fed…us." His voice slowed, gradually realizing what had happened.

"Did you eat this food also?" Carlisle asked urgently.

"No," he replied, helplessly looking at me. "But I remember it smelled funny." I could barely hear the conversation over my inexhaustible coughing fit.

"The food was defiantly poisoned." Carlisle murmured, slightly lifting my head up to meet his.

"Poison!" Jake exclaimed, clearly overwhelmed. He ran a hand through his inky black hair.

_Why now? Why poison? _I thought, another round of coughing nearly ripping my insides apart. Jake already had enough on his mind with the deaths of Embry and Leah. Now he had to worry about me too.

Carlisle picked me up and walked me into the bathroom. He bent me over the bathtub and said to Jacob, who had followed us in there, "I'm going to try to make her vomit- maybe the poison will come out of her that way."

I could feel his beginning to force a stick down my throat but Jake stopped him. "I think she's already thrown up since eating. It wouldn't do any better the second time."

Carlisle sighed, thinking. After a moment I heard him whisper a few words into Jacob's ear- who gave him a nasty look and protested. "You can't do that while she's still awake! That'd kill!"

"How do you suggest putting her to sleep then? I don't have any anesthetics on hand!" Carlisle snapped.

Jacob wavered a moment before suggesting, "I've seen some other vampires knock her out this way before…maybe it'll work."

Carlisle shrugged, "I suppose it's worth a try, but if it doesn't work we'll have to operate with her awake.

Jacob slowly walked over to me and indicated to Carlisle what he was to do; I was too weary to pay attention to what he was doing. Suddenly I felt a hand pound on the back of my neck and my eyes fluttered shut.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

I was relieved to find that I was back in LaPush when I woke. For a time, I wished that it had all been just a very vivid dream- but I knew that dreams could never contain everything I had gone though. I sat up in Jacob's huge, white double bed to find him sitting near my toes. His fists were clenched and his teeth were gritted. I knew that he had realized I was awake so I crawled over to him and wrapped my arms around his torso.

"I love you." I whispered gently, trying to calm whatever was bothering him. He turned around on the bed to face me. His eyes were knowing, more knowing than mine. It immediately made me wonder what had happened that I had missed while I was unconscious. He relaxed his jaw a fraction so that he could talk.

"You're alive." He almost smiled. I still waited for the four words that he hadn't yet said. _I love you too._ The words were like a reflex for him, whatever happened, it was enough to throw his reflexes off. My eyebrows knit together in worry, I was really concerned now.

"What happened?" I asked yet another question that I didn't want to know the answer to. Jake didn't reply to me.

"Jacob you need to tell me what happened, the pack is _my _family too." He took a deep breath and I immediately knew what Jake was leading up to when he spoke the first sentence.

"Carlisle did everything he could." Jacob turned away from me, trying to hide the depression in his eyes. I knew what he was going to say already, I bit my lip in preparation. "He couldn't save him." Jacob knew that I understood whom he was talking about.

"What does that mean for us?" I asked, calm as ever. I knew that the tears were there- they just didn't want to come out yet. I was almost afraid of them- for I had no idea when I was going to explode.

"The council decided that I…should be the…new alpha." He didn't sound happy about it at all.

There was a pause, I attempted to change the subject away from the alpha, "Will there be a funeral for them?" I asked solemnly. He nodded.

"When?" I persisted.

"Sometime today…" he drifted.

"Today?" I doubted, "Don't you think that's a little short notice?"

"You've been out for more than one day." He replied simply.

I could tell that I wasn't going to get a decent answer out of him so I stopped talking for a moment. "…You hungry?" I asked knowing that food always lightened his mood.

"Not really, no."

I could feel his desperation hanging limply in the mood; I didn't want to be around it anymore so I made a lame excuse to get away.

"I'm going to go find out when the funeral is, Sam will probably…" I stopped, realizing what I had just said. There was no Sam. Sam was gone. I looked around the room embarrassed, as if someone would speak up to correct me but no one did.

I rushed myself out of the house, hoping to shake off Jacob's depressing mood as I went. Quickly, I hurried into the forest and stripped, morphing into my white wolf self without any problem now that the poison had been extracted from my system.

I could sense a few people sharing minds with me- all of them were arguing in a flurry of thoughts and words. It was nearly impossible to make out one voice from another.

_What's going on?_ I practically had to shout the words to make myself heard. All of the arguing immediately ceased.

_H-hey Bella…_I heard Jared murmur quietly. Curiously, I felt the minds around me, sensing Jared, Quil, Seth, and Brady. I could feel Jared's sadness, which was lined with guilt. After feeling the mood, I realized that everyone's thoughts were stitched with guilty feelings.

_What were you talking about? _I asked slowly, knowing that they couldn't lie to me even if they wanted to- our minds were connected. Rapidly, I saw the images of Jacob, Sam and me flashing though everyone's thoughts. I could feel their insecurity and outrage at the choice of their new alpha. Jared and Brady were against the decision while Quil and Seth were all for it.

_Why are you here? _Brady thought callously, as if I had no right to morph into my wolf self.

_Shut up you idiot, _Quil snapped at the newest wolf, _Bella's a part of the pack too. She has as much right to be here as you do!_

Brady became very quiet, bitten by the words of his friend.

_Actually, I _do _have a reason for coming to you guys. _I thought as if Brady had never interrupted me. The whole pack immediately knew what I wanted thanks to our brain-link.

_The funeral is in three hours. _Seth whispered gently. He paused for a moment and I could see the faint image of a rusty car. _I could pick you up at Jake's if you want, we could ride here together if you want._

Seth's words were incased with pure silence. No one said anything- no one even thought anything- I knew that Seth knew what my answer was. Yes. I didn't want to be around these people, all of them were too sad and depressed for my liking. It's not as if they were feeling miserable without reason though; their leader, their alpha, had died. I was sad about it too but I knew that being around other sad people would not lift my mood in the least. I wanted to be around people that were happy, maybe then I would be happy too.

I knew it was no use hoping, however, so I bluntly announced to the pack that I was morphing back to human and relaxed all of my muscles until I could feel myself shrinking down to size. What was I going to do for three hours? It's not as if I was looking forward to the funeral, there would only be more crying, more depression and more misery than there was here. I was not planning on testifying for any of the lost wolves but I felt as if I should still go. These three had given their lives to save me; the least I could do was come to their funeral and say my goodbyes.

Quickly, I pulled myself into my clothes before the frost could bite my bare skin. As a wolf I was naturally warm but I wasn't planning on standing outside undressed for any length of time. I closed my eyes, a headache beginning to develop. I wasn't sure where to go now- I didn't want to go back to Jake's house, there was just as much despair in his mood as there was in the packs. I crouched down near the ground, rubbing my temples in a failed attempt to force my headache away. The snow immediately melted where I touched it and was replaced with water.

I groaned in aggravation, almost wanting to curl up on the ground, go to sleep and wake up when this was all over. I knew, however, that the pack would be forever wounded at the loss of their comrades. Everything we had done, we did because we loved each other. Sam, Embry and Leah gave their lives to protect us. They paid the ultimate price for their love- but the course of love never did run smooth. I stood back up, ignoring my headache, and began to walk without a particular destination. I didn't know where my feet were taking me until I was there.

I stopped about ten yards away from the Cullen's mansion. I wasn't sure what it was about the familiar domain but it seemed to slightly calm my nerves. I hadn't been to the house for nearly four months when I had come to talk to Edward about 'us'. I hadn't been _inside_ of the since the incident on my birthday last year. Involuntarily, I walked up to the house and lightly tapped on the front door, almost hoping that if there was anyone inside, they couldn't hear me so I could walk away and pretend that they weren't at home. But I knew that they were there, I could smell the tantalizingly fresh scent of vampire. At this point in time I had learned to control my urge to kill any vampire in my scent range.

The door opened cautiously and I recognized Esme's petite form. After seeing me, she opened the door wider and gave me a heart-warming smile as if no time had passed since my eighteenth birthday and today.

"Bella!" she greeted happily, "what a pleasant surprise! We certainly weren't expecting you after…what happened." Her voice hit a sour note but recovered quickly. "What brings you here?"

I sighed, unable to tell her exactly why I had come here- I wasn't completely sure myself. Esme continued to stand in the doorway, patiently awaiting an answer. I took a deep breath, unsure of what I was going to say.

"She's stressed…" I heard Jasper's calm voice descending the staircase as he read my emotions like an open book. "She's feeling sad…but…doesn't want to be around people who are sad too." There was a pause and he squinted his eyes slightly, taking his place next to Esme. "She needs…" he attempted reading even deeper, "reassurance and someone…cheerful to take her mind off of things." Jasper finished, looking thoroughly pleased with his ability.

I felt no more need to explain myself. I was about to turn and leave, thinking it was stupid to ask the Cullens for help after all that they had already done for me, but Esme had a different opinion. Open-heartedly she wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into the warm house with her.

I looked around the house that I hadn't seen in ages. It looked almost exactly the same as when I first saw it with only one major difference. The huge, grand piano that had once sat serenely on the raised platform near the back of the room had seemingly disappeared. I wasn't sure if I was surprised or not seeing that Edward had been the only on in the family to set his fingers on t he ivory keys. I knew better than to ask about it.

"Oh, honey." Esme soothed, gently sitting me down on a fancy couch. "Everything is going to be just fine, trust me. Everyone in this family knows what it's like to lose people that we're close to. You just need to take your mind off of things like Jasper said. In fact, I know just the person to help you with that." She grinned happily. "Alice." She spoke her name as if she was talking to someone who was sitting right next to her.

Immediately the black haired girl's cold arms were wrapped around me in an open hug. "So this is why this afternoon's whole future was wiped out." She giggled, and then came back to the subject at hand. "Do you know what always takes my mind off of things?" she asked smiling gleefully.

"What?" I groaned. I had known Alice long enough to know what her remedy to all problems was.

"Shopping!" she squealed, pulling me up off the couch by my arm. I tried to draw my hand away but her iron grip held me fast.

"No thanks, Alice." I protested sternly, "I'm _really _not in the mood for a shopping spree right now."

She pouted and looked over my shoulder at her foster mom, "Esme!" she whined. "Tell Bella to come with me!" I swiveled my head around to look at the motherly vampire who was smiling apologetically at me. "I think you should go, Bella." She encouraged. "I know that you've never really been into that kind of thing but I'd give it a try if I were you."

"Fine." I reluctantly agreed, "But I have to be back at Jake's house in _two and a half hours_." Alice, whom I didn't realize was even listening to my protest, asked "Why?"

"Seth's picking me up to go to the…funeral." I gritted my teeth slightly."

"Well if you're actually going then you'll need something to wear right?" Alice smiled slyly. I imagined what she would have in mind for me to wear to a funeral. I shuddered, looking at the mental picture of myself wearing a floor-length, poofy black gown with a lacey veil and high-high heeled black shoes.

Alice tugged on my arm, "Come on!" she urged impatiently, pulling me into the eight car garage. Everything seemed to be in it's place- there was a different car for everyone in the Cullen family. There was only one thing that was obviously missing. I looked through the cars one by one and noticed the absence of a shiny silver Volvo. Again, I knew better than to ask about it.

Alice pushed me over to a glorious bright yellow Porsche. I stared at it in awe. "Do you like it? I just got it a few weeks ago." Alice giggled gazing fondly at the car. I could only nod. After spending so much time with Jacob I had learned to appreciate cars much more than I used to.

"Well get in it then! I bought the car so that I could drive it, not just goggle at it."

I opened the passenger door and sat down on the cool leather seating, like Carlisle's car, the windows were tinted. Alice was already backing out of the driveway before I could close the door. The speedometer hit sixty before we were on the highway.

"Where are we going?" I asked begrudgingly, remembering that I was shopping for a funeral.

"Port Angeles. They've got the best dresses there." Alice squeaked excitedly. I groaned in protest, reminding her that shopping wasn't very high on my 'things I like to do' list.

"It's _fine_ Bella! You'll have fun!" She promised.

Seth knocked on the door of Jake's house twenty minutes to three. I had just finished zipping up the outfit that Alice had bought me. It was a silky black dress that dropped down to my shins and was ruffled along the end. The dress flowed freely and gracefully when I walked in it. I was surprised to realize that I was quite fond of it. My shoes were three-inch heels and a neat, shiny black. It had taken a lot of steering on my part to rein in Alice- but the outfit had defiantly turned out great.

Frustratingly, after she had bought my dress and insisted on paying for the entire thing, Alice forced me into a hair salon saying that it was only fair for her. I disagreed, but didn't have enough energy to resist her. Now my hair was elegantly curled and spun up into a neat bun.

"Come in!" I called to Seth, smoothing out all the wrinkles in my dress. I heard the front door open and close as Seth walked into the family room to find me looking at my reflection through in black TV. He wolf-whistled at me, taking in what I was wearing. I blushed and smiled when I saw the way he was looking at me.

"You look…really nice, Bella." He chuckled, "So are you ready to go or do you need to go get a manicure or whatever?" For a moment I thought I saw him smile but when I looked again his face was recomposed in that dull, sad expression.

"Yeah." I murmured my smile fading. His depression was catching on me.

He waited for a moment as if he was expecting me to say something, finally realizing I didn't know what to say next he asked, "Is Jake ready?" his voice was quiet.

"I'm not sure…let me see." I motioned for him to sit on the couch as I poked my head into Jake's room to see if he was there. He was. He sat on the bed in the same position I left him in, his hands were folded tightly and his face was contorted. It was clear that he had moved, however, because he was wearing different clothes than hi was this morning. He had on some black slacks and a loose fitting white oxford that was done up nicely with a black tie.

"You ready to go? Seth's here." I asked gently, taking my place next to him on the bed. He didn't answer me for a moment and I was almost afraid that he didn't hear me.

"Ready as I'll ever be." He sighed, "Let's go."

Seth led us to his junked up, rust covered Mercury that his parents bought him when he earned his drivers license. After riding in Alice's Porsche this afternoon, Seth's car looked pretty under rate- he seemed to be fond of it though. Seth tried to catch the driver's seat but Jake had already slid inside.

"It's my car!" Seth complained, "Let me drive!"

"I'm a more experienced driver and I already know where to go." Jake countered.

"Fine." Seth muttered, opening the passenger door mumbling objections under his breath.

"Hey, Seth? Can you sit back here with me please?" I whispered knowing he could hear me.

He looked at me funny for a moment. "Why?"

"Bella's still afraid of being alone." Jacob jeered lightly; his mood had completely changed since being inside of the house.

"Alright then." Seth smiled. I opened the door closest to me for him to come through but he was already crawling into the back from the passenger seat. I shut the car door and the frame shuddered in a shower of rust flakes.

I weakly rested my head on Seth's shoulder, nearly falling asleep on contact with him. After being in a forced state of sleep for over forty-eight hours you'd think that I would be wide awake.

"You're tired?" Seth speculated, poking my cheek. "I sighed and nodded into him hoping that sleep would find me soon, but the carried wasn't as long as I had anticipated- it was short, only about five to ten minutes long.

As a matter of fact, once we arrived and I looked around the site, I realized that _nothing_ was what I had anticipated. Every time thought of a funeral I would think of a dark, cloudy day with a drizzling rain. There would be a crowd of people, all of them carrying matching black umbrellas, all huddling together in a cemetery, circling a tall gray tombstone. This wasn't anything like I had imagined.

It was full-fledge raining outside of the small car; it was almost like the earth was mourning with the rest of us. It almost seemed cheesy- how in all sad movies and books whenever something bad happened it would begin to rain. We were, however, living in the rainiest area in the country so the downpour wasn't much of a surprise. We weren't anywhere near a cemetery either- we were just outside the woods in a small clearing. There were two short rows of plastic chairs, in front of which there were three large holes in the soggy ground. Each one was partially filled with a lumpy mass of fur and blankets.

How honorable.

The chairs all held familiar faces, everyone seemed unaware that it was even raining. The rest of the pack had already arrived; their sad, mournful expressions immediately extinguished my mood and were burned into my memory. Emily, Sam's fiancée who stood feebly next to the huge forms of the pack boys, had her skinny, tan arms wrapped around Jared and was sobbing into his already soaked t-shirt.

Embry's mom had her hands cupped against her face, bawling into them; she didn't even know that her son was a werewolf and was told that a bear had mauled him and his friends who had just gone out for a hike in the woods. A bear attack required no evidence except for the dead bodies, unlike a car crash, which would necessitate a few totaled cars, or a man-murder, which would leave a culprit to track down.

All of the elders on the board were in the front row of chairs- some of them were looking interestedly at Jacob, who was to be the new alpha. He just smiled awkwardly at them and looked away. Seth, Jacob and I took our seats in the back corner of seats, far away from the elders and pack, and waited for Billy to begin the service.

We were waiting there for about three minutes, the pouring rain stinging my face. A few more people arrived, parents or relatives by the look of it, and then Billy decided to begin. It was very difficult for me to pay attention to the words that he was saying, after the first five minutes; the tears I had been working so hard to keep in began to flood out. Billy's voice only got more and more distant as if he was going through a long tunnel. By the end of the service my eyes hurt from the never ceasing tears and I couldn't hear a word anyone said.

I was partially glad for the rain today for it concealed my tears and made them undistinguishable from the raindrops. I could hear sobs and weeping, when I looked up to Jacob I could tell that even he was silently shedding tears for his lost friend.

Before I realized what had happened, people began to rise from their chairs and walk back to their cars. The funeral was over and I had missed nearly all of it. I stared at the holes that had now been filled until a voice brought me out of my trance.

"Are you alright, Bella? You seem really…devastated." Jacob hummed, wrapping his arms around my torso.

"I'm fine." I sighed, "I'm just…really going to miss them." More tears escaped my eyes.

"They died honorably." Jacob murmured. I could feel a moment of hesitation in Jacob's mood before he did something that took me totally off guard. Before I could comprehend anymore I could feel his warm lips moving against mine. Surprise captured me momentarily but once the shock subsided I was kissing him back. After we shared a pleasurable moment, I pulled away to see Jacob smiling ear to ear.

"What was that for?" I gasped; the kiss had taken my breath away.

"You looked like you needed it." He replied simply, smiling even wider. I gave him a funny look.

"I love you." I chuckled, ruffling his drenched hair.

"Bella, I need you to-" he was cut off abruptly by a gruff voice in the distance.

"You guys coming or not?" Seth called over the _whoosh _of the hammering rain, his head poking unwillingly out of the window of his Mercury.

"No thanks." Jake called back to him; my mouth dropped slightly as I gave him another odd glance to make sure his head was still screwed on.

"Are you crazy?" I asked strongly, "It's _pouring _out here and I don't want to _walk_ all the way back to the house! Besides it's-"

Now it was my turn to be cut off as Jacob pressed his lips to mine once more. I smiled through the kiss and pulled away for a moment.

"Bye Seth!" I yelled over to him, Jacob laughed carelessly.

"You're crazy!" I accused in mock frustration.

He shrugged nonchalantly, "Guilty." I laughed with him this time.

"Your mood has changed quite a bit since this morning." I charged him.

"So has yours."

He defiantly had a point. "So what were you about to say before Seth interrupted?" I asked, my uncontainable smile almost hurting my face.

He paused for a second, remembering, "Oh yeah!" He lowered his head, "I love you." He growled the words, smiling darkly. I laughed freely, no longer feeling the desperation in the mood. "I love you too."

He lifted my chin up to prove his love with yet another kiss. My mental fireworks exploded, each kiss feeling like our first. What did I ever do to deserve him? The answer to that question remains unknown to even me. I do know, however, that true love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. It is not something that is earned or deserved but a simple gift that is given to all of us- we just need to know where to look for it. It may have taken much too long to find out, but I've realized that love doesn't make the world go around, love is what makes the ride worthwhile.

I looked back on all that had happened. Jacob and I growing up together, I changed him and he changed me. There were times when we dreamed together and times we laughed and cried together. And whatever the future held, I knew that today might make the memories of tomorrow. So it was with all my heart that I gave him my love, hoping that he'd always carry my smile with him- for all we have meant to each other and for whatever the future may hold.

When all was said and done, he was a part of me. That's the way it was meant to be. People are brought together for a reason, everything happens for a reason. I believe the reason that him and me were brought together was because we completed one another. We filled in each other's missing spots with love. For there is no difficulty that love will not conquer, no disease it will not heal or a door that it cannot open. There is no gulf that love cannot bridge, no wall that love will not throw down and no sin that love cannot redeem. It made no difference how deeply we were in trouble; how hopeless the outlook was; how muddled the tangle or how great the mistake. Our love would always prevail. No matter what happened to us, I knew that Jacob would always be mine forever.


End file.
